Guarded Affection
by SiennaS
Summary: Zoey Linn is a quiet, unassuming woman working as a jobber for the Diva's division, when she's noticed by Shield member Dean Ambrose. Zoey is cautious with Dean, almost to a fault. When Zoey's sick mother takes a turn for the worse, will she let Dean be her rock or will she push him away? A story previously posted on here that I removed and feel compelled to repost.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone.

I thought I'd lost the original of this on a jump drive that went bad, but I found a copy. Since the original fiction version isn't under contract and I'm not going to submit it for consideration, I felt compelled to put it back up here. Especially after so many of you messaged me asking what happened to my stories after I took them down. I'm not looking for any reviews or critiques. I just wanted to put this back up for those who wanted to read it again.

For those who haven't read this story before, the OC is what some would call a Mary Sue or Pollyanna. Please don't leave comments telling me as much or that you don't like the character or the story because of it. I'm warning you now, so you can simply move on to some other story that will interest you more.

Thanks!

Sienna

* * *

Chapter 1

Sitting alone near the entrance to the hotel bar, Dean Ambrose tossed back a shot before picking up his beer. He stared out at the lobby area, watching as people came and went. His mind wandered while he studied the faces of those passing through. Some of them he recognized, some he didn't, but he'd bet many of them recognized him. Life as he knew it had changed considerably over the last few months and he wasn't sure how he felt about that fact.

His wrestling career couldn't be better. He'd spent years rising through WWE's developmental ranks on his bid to reach the main roster and ultimately bring fame and fortune. Now that he'd arrived, his wrestling stable known as _The Shield _not only found their audience, but had quickly become a fan favorite. Lately, it seemed he couldn't go anywhere without some wrestling fan noticing him and asking for an autograph. It appeared he'd finally reached his goal. So why was he so unhappy?

Maybe his dissatisfaction stemmed from something more personal in nature. Since arriving at the highest level of WWE he'd watched both his teammates and best friends succumb to the allures of a female. First Roman, then more recently Seth, had fallen deeply in love.

He didn't begrudge either of them all the happiness they'd found with Lexi and Amber. After all, the girls not only made a great addition to their group, but each had their own quirky and cool personalities. Still, there were times when he felt like the third wheel.

Just yesterday he'd lost his room buddy when Amber returned from her medical leave after spending two months recovering from former wrestler Brad Maddox's attack. From this point forward Seth and Amber would share a room, which meant Dean would be on his own. He'd didn't figure it was such a bad arrangement, but already the loneliness arrived, leaving him feeling out of sorts.

A fresh bottle of Yuengling appeared in front of him and Dean looked up in time to see fellow wrestler and future hall of famer, Chris Jericho slide into the empty seat. Chris shot him a smile. "You looked like you could use another."

Dean smirked as he picked up the fresh bottle. "Yeah. Thanks."

Chris glanced around. "So where might the rest of your stable be tonight?"

Dean pulled a long draw on his beer before bothering to answer. "Since yesterday was Amber's first day back, Seth took her out on a dinner date. Roman is upstairs in their hotel room with Lexi."

Chris glanced at his watch. "It's only eight-thirty. You know, I figured after eight months together they would have made it past the doing it like rabbits phase."

Dean cut a sideways look at Chris. "No rabbits tonight. She injured her ankle in last night's match and he's trying to keep her off it so she can heal."

Chris frowned. "I thought that was scripted. She really hurt herself?"

"Yep." Dean pulled another quick drink. "Roman accused her of being reckless in the ring and threatened to wrap her in bubble wrap. When I left them they were arguing."

Chris shook his head and chuckled. "I admire him. Anybody that can keep that girl in line is alright by me."

Dean grinned as his attention drifted toward a cute little redhead with glasses, currently walking across the lobby. "Yeah, Lexi is quite a woman. I don't think I've met a chick as physically tough as her. I still shudder when I think about how she demanded Doctor Amman set her broken arm without any pain relief."

Chris nodded and took a drink of his beer. "I wrestled a couple of years with her dad back in the beginning of my career. That attitude comes from growing up in the Hart family. It was be tough or get run over."

Dean's gaze tracked the woman to the far corner of the lobby, where she curled up on a couch and opened a book. Why he found her intriguing he wasn't exactly sure.

"So the purveyor of justice is a lone wolf tonight?" Chris continued.

Dean nodded. "Looks that way."

"You wanna go bar hoppin'?" Chris asked.

Dean considered the offer. Eight months ago the man sitting next to him was ready to rip his head off for the fake kidnapping of Lexi Hart. Funny how time could fix nearly any problem. "Not if you're going to only hit the places with karaoke," he retorted. Being the front man of the rock band Fozzy, wasn't enough for Chris. Dean learned quickly that any time Chris could get in front of the microphone and sing he would. For a moment Chris looked crestfallen, complete with the bottom lip pout. "Fine. How about we find a pool hall instead? No karaoke, and I can kick your ass in nine ball."

"In your dreams," Dean replied. Apparently, Jericho didn't know that before he was able to make a living wrestling, Dean had spent several years hustling pool. He slid off the high stool and motioned to Chris. "You're on, let's go."

He walked out of the bar and stopped at the sight of the Bella Twins making their way across the lobby toward the doors. Dubbed double trouble and Cruella's one and two, by members of the roster, wrestling's most hated twins looked like two women on the prowl, dressed in matching red spandex dresses and high heels. Chris stopped next to him. "Don't even think about it, Ambrose. You play with fire, you will get burned, and those girls are a raging inferno."

Dean opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again as one of the twins veered off course and walked straight toward the cute redhead sitting in the corner reading. He noted how her eyes went wide as the Bella twin approached. A brief and heated exchange took place between the women before Nikki or maybe it was Brie, Dean could never tell, grabbed the redhead's book and tossed it in a nearby trash can, then knocked over her bag, spilling the contents onto the floor.

Dean frowned as the scene played out. The petite redhead had done nothing to prompt such an attack. Of course, bullying others was the Bella twins favorite past time. _What a bitch!_

The twins laughed and mumbled something about being a loser before they turned to walk away.

Chris shook his head. "Those girls are just evil personified."

Dean agreed, but at this point he was more interested in the redhead than the Bella. "Hey, who's the girl they were messing with?"

"She's one of the new Divas recently promoted from the third level progressive rank. I think she came up about the same time as Amber."

Shock filtered through Dean. "Really? I don't remember ever seeing her wrestle."

Chris shook his head. "They've been using her as a jobber. Which is a real shame because from what I've seen the girl can wrestle better than the Bella twins ever thought about."

_Interesting._ He patted Chris on the shoulder. "Give me just a minute." Without explaining further Dean walked toward the redhead, picking up her compact and eye drops that had rolled away. As he closed the distance his attraction stirred as did certain body parts. Like the other Divas she had a lean, tight body with long shapely legs, but unlike the other Divas she'd avoided tanning and the result was miles of creamy flesh. He slowed in front of her. "Hi."

She looked up from where she crouched in front of the couch, picking up her belongings. Her eyes widened at the sight of him and for a moment he swore he saw fear. "Um...hi."

He held the items he'd picked up out for her. "I think these belong to you."

"T-thank you." She took the items from him.

"You're welcome." He crouched next to her and took a moment to really take her in. She had vivid green eyes and the cutest peppering of freckles across the tops of her cheeks and over her nose. _Hey beautiful where you been all my life? _"I'm dean."

She blessed him with a small smile that caused his stomach to do a little flip. "I know."

So she knew who he was, which put him at a distinct disadvantage. A disadvantage he hoped to change straight away. "Do you need help?"

She shook her head. "No thank you. I think I can get everything."

He caught just a hint of vanilla. A scent he immediately realized fit her perfectly. "It's no problem, Miss..."

She paused and looked up at him. "Zoey. Zoey Linn."

He grinned. "Well Miss Zoey Linn. It's a pleasure to meet you, though it's a shame we had to meet under these circumstances."

She shrugged and returned to gathering up her things. "It's no big deal. I'm used to the Bella's abusing me."

His grin faltered at the acceptance in her tone. Nobody should ever be bullied. "That doesn't make what they did right." Suddenly he remembered the book, stood and walked over to the trash can to retrieve it. Only it had landed in a pile of discarded food and was now covered in remnants of a half-eaten cheeseburger and ketchup covered fries.

Pinching it between his finger and thumb he held it by the cover's corner and glanced at her. "I'm sorry, but I don't think it can be saved."

"It's not your fault," she replied. "I have other books so don't worry about it. Thank you for helping me." She angled a thumb in the direction of the elevators. "I think I'm just gonna head up to my room now. Thanks again."

_No! Don't go so soon._ "Sure." Dean watched her disappear down the hallway then turned back and studied the book cover. Maybe he'd just have to see about replacing this book.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Intent on making some changes as soon as possible Dean walked into catering, scanned the room and found his targets. After thoroughly beating Chris at billiards, he'd spent the rest of his night thinking about the cute little redhead. He'd bet that deep down a fire smoldered inside her waiting to be stoked. She just needed the right guidance, motivation and support. With any luck he could provide her with all three.

He weaved around various tables and chairs, gave a hi-five to Randy and Chris along the way, and snagged a bottle of water off one of the tables before reaching the girls. After seeing the fright in Zoey's eyes last night when he tried to help her, he knew there wasn't any way he could pull this off by himself. Right now she feared him and there was only one way for him to abate that fear. If he had any hope of making this plan work, he'd need to enlist some help.

They sat together, eating breakfast and appeared to be in deep conversation. Without asking to sit, Dean grabbed an empty chair from a nearby table flipped it around and sat down, resting his arms on the top of the chair back. "Ladies."

Amber and Lexi stopped their conversation, and both girls turned to look at him. "Dean," Amber replied.

Lexi arched a brow. "Sure you can sit. Just go ahead and make yourself comfortable."

Dean grinned. "Nice sarcasm."

"I learned from the best," she shot back.

"Damn right you did," he grinned, "But I doubt Roman would be happy with that wiseass attitude."

She looked around the room then rested an elbow on the table and placed her chin on her fist. "I don't see him. So what he doesn't know won't hurt me."

Amber shook her head, then arched a brow. "Speaking of which? Where are Seth and Roman?"

Dean shrugged. "I think they said something about going to the gym or something."

"So why are you not with them?" Amber asked.

"Yeah," Lexi agreed. "Why are you here?"

"I need your help," he replied.

"Mine or Lexi's?"

"Both." He hoped he wasn't making a mistake with what he was about to do."

"Okay." Lexi set her fork aside folded her arm. "Now I'm curious. What is it you need?"

Not wanting what he was about to ask to go beyond the table, Dean glanced around, making sure no one was listening. Lexi and Amber mimicked his motion. "Have you been drafted by the CIA or something?" Lexi asked.

Dean smirked. "Funny. I don't need others hearing our conversation. You know how rumors fly around here."

Amber dropped her napkin on her plate. "Don't I know it. So what do you need?"

"Do either of you know Zoe Linn?"

Lexi shook her head the same time Amber nodded. "Yeah, she started the same time I did. What about her?"

"How well do you know her?" Dean asked.

Amber shrugged. "Not too well. We worked together a couple of time in NXT."

Lexi's eyes widened with awareness and she pointed a finger at Amber. "Oh, is she that really shy redhead who always has her nose buried in a book?"

Amber nodded. "Yeah. From what I know about her, she's really smart, like graduated top ten percent of her college class and stuff. I have no clue what she's doing wrestling." She turned to Dean. "Why all the questions about Zoey?"

"I happen to notice her last night when I was hanging with Chris." Dean began. He told them about the Bella twins and what they did, then pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "Lexi, do you think you can find this book for me?"

Lexi read the paper and giggled. "This is a romance."

"I don't care what it is," Dean shot back. "She seems like a really nice girl and I want to replace the book that Brie or Nikki or whichever it was, ruined."

"Awe." Amber leaned back in her chair. "That's the sweetest thing I think I've ever seen you do."

Dean leveled a look at her. "I'm glad you think so, because I want you to buddy up to her. I got the distinct impression that she's being picked on by some of the other Diva's and I'm betting she could use some allies."

The amusement in Amber's face disappeared replaced by a somber expression. She nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks." He reached out and patted each girl on the hand. "I really appreciate your help."

"Yeah, no problem," Lexi replied as he stood. He returned the chair to the other table and headed for the exit. _ Next stop...Hunter_.

Hunter leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You want me to do what?"

"I want you to give Zoey Linn a push."

"Zoey Linn is a jobber," Hunter replied. "I mean don't get me wrong, she's a great wrestler, but she has the personality of a wet towel. The only reason we brought her up is to help put over some of the other Divas."

"She's just shy," Dean argued. "And she just needs a little push."

Hunter narrowed his gaze. "Why are you suddenly so interested in Zoey?"

Dean quickly explained what he'd witnessed the previous night. "She's being picked on, Hunter. It's not right and well..._The Shield_ is supposed to be all about fighting injustice. Personally I see this as a huge injustice."

"Okay." Hunter nodded. "I agree that her being bullied is wrong, but if she's not going to defend herself, doesn't that tell you something?"

"Yeah, it tells me that she's new and afraid of causing waves," Dean argued. "You've been toying with the idea of adding a third female to round out _The Shield._ I think she'd be a perfect addition."

"What do the others think about adding her?"

Dean shook his head. "I haven't actually talked to them about it, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Come on, Hunter. You have the power to make this happen. I guarantee if she has the protection of the shield she'll bloom into a star."

"And if you're wrong?" Hunter challenged.

Sensing victory, Dean leaned forward and rested an arm on Hunter's desk. "I'm not wrong."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

She couldn't put it off any longer. The bagel she'd grabbed on the fly this morning wore off hours ago and her stomach demanded satisfaction. Zoey took a deep breath and pulled open the door.

Summing up her courage she walked into catering, took a moment to assess the lay of the land and immediately relaxed. With the absence of the evil Bella twins her day just got a little better. She made her way over to the food table, grabbed some salad and a piece of chicken and a wheat roll, then she snagged a bottle of water and made her way to an empty table out of the way of everyone else.

All she really wanted was to just do her job and be left alone, but for reasons beyond her, she'd attracted the attention of the Bella's. They seemed hell bent on wreaking havoc on her life at every turn. Of course Aksana was just as bad. The Lithuanian appeared to have a short temper and a bad attitude. The few times she'd sparred with the woman Zoey hadn't seemed to be able to do anything right. She couldn't understand how Kaitlyn shared a room with the dark haired bitch.

Not that Zoey's current roommate was much better. Every chance she got, Alicia made it clear how unhappy she was with Zoey. Too bad she couldn't get management to place her with someone else.

A shadow fell over her table and Zoey nearly groaned as the overpowering scent of the Bella's signature perfume reached her nose. Why in the world couldn't these women just leave her alone.

"If I were you," one of them began, "I'd skip the chicken and the roll."

"Yeah," the other one added. "The camera adds ten pounds. Eat that chicken and you'll look like a heifer on screen. Oh wait." She lifted a hand to her mouth and looked at her twin. "You already do."

The other twin giggle. "So Zoey, you read any good books lately?"

"At least she knows how to read. Which is more than I can say for either of you." The unfamiliar female voice caused Zoey to look up. Lexi Hart stood just a few feet away, arms folded across her chest, with Amber Star at her side.

"Um..." one of the twins began. "I don't remember this being any of your business, Lexi."

"Yeah, don't you need to go tend to that Neanderthal fiancé of yours?" The other twin offered.

Lexi took a step forward until she stood nose to nose with one of the girls. "You're just jealous because you couldn't get your slutty little claws into him."

"As if," The Bella replied. "Like I'd be bothered trying to get that...that oaf in my bed."

Lexi arched a brow. "You keep telling yourself that Brie and maybe one day you'll actually believe it."

The Bella twin waved a hand at her as if she were dismissing Lexi's statement. "I don't have time for this nonsense."

Zoey narrowed her gaze and studied the girls. How in the hell did Lexi know the difference between the twins?

Amber stepped forward. "Don't you two have someplace else to be?"

The Bella's glanced at Zoey and sneered. "We have better things to do anyway." Together they turned on their heels and strode away.

"Bitches," Lexi grumbled.

"Both of them," Amber added then turned her attention on Zoey. "You okay?"

Zoey nodded. "I'm fine. Thanks though."

"No problem." Amber slid into the empty chair. "I swear those girls thrive on creating strife."

"I'd like to kick their little twin magic asses," Lexi said then plopped into the other empty seat. "Maybe I can talk Hunter into a little _Shield_ justice." Her face slipped into a grin and she extended a hand. "I don't think we've actually be formally introduced. I'm Lexi Hart."

Not quite believing her eyes, Zoey wiped her hands on a napkin then extended a hand to shake Lexi's. "I know exactly who you are. What I don't get is why you're sitting here with me."

Lexi shrugged. "Brie has a thing for Roman and any chance I can get to ruin her day...well."

"Besides," Amber added. "It kinda looked like they were ganging up on you." She shook her head. "I can't stand bullies."

"Yeah" Zoey picked up her fork and stabbed at her salad. "Apparently picking at me seems to have become their new favorite pastime as of late. I try to ignore them, but they don't make it easy."

"They don't make much easy," Lexi replied. "You know, if you don't fight back, they're going to continue to pick on you."

"If I fight back, they'll go running to management complain about me and then I'll be out on my ass," Zoey replied. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she needed this job. Short of selling her body there wasn't any opportunity out there she could get that would pay as much as she was making right now and she needed every dime.

"Well," Amber began. "I might have a solution to your problem."

Zoey paused, her fork hovering above her plate. "What's that?"

"Hang with us." Amber grinned and looked at Lexi. "I guarantee that the Bellas will leave you alone."

Shock tore through Zoey and she nearly dropped her fork. She couldn't possibly have heard Amber correctly. Her? Hang with two fifths of _The Shield_? "I'm sorry?"

"Come hang with us," Amber repeated.

While it would definitely be nice to be rid of the Bellas, she had no business running around with Amber Star and Lexi Hart. Lexi was a legend and Amber...well Amber was a rising star. "I-I couldn't."

Lexi leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. "Why not?"

"Well, you guys are just so...cool and talented. I'm just a no-name jobber put here to give the stars somebody to wrestle."

Concern filled Amber's eyes. "It doesn't have to be that way, Zoey."

"Yes it does," Zoey replied even as a lump began to form. She knew her abilities and her limitations. "I don't have what it takes to be a star."

"You're wrong," Lexi challenged. "I'd bet you do have what it takes, you just don't know how to tap into it."

"Come with us, Zoey," Amber urged "We can help you not only get the Bellas off your back, but can teach you what you need to become a star."

Zoey's pulse sped up as she considered their offer. They seemed genuine in their desire to help her, but even if they meant what they said, could they really make her into something she wasn't? Still, having allies against so many enemies sounded awful damn good.

"Okay." She nodded. "I think you're wasting your time, but let's give it a shot." She held her arms out wide. "I'm fresh clay. Mold me."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Dean swam across the pool touched the wall and came up for air. He looked over at Seth who pulled up next to him. "I beat you, that means you owe me a beer tonight."

"Yeah, yeah." Seth pulled himself up and out of the water to sit on the edge. "I'm getting faster. One of these days I'll beat your ass."

Dean smirked. "That will be the day."

Seth leaned forward then flipped his head back, sending water spraying in all directions. "So. What's the deal with this Zoey chick?"

Dean arched brow. "There is no deal. She was being bullied and I thought she could use some help."

"Right," Seth replied as reached for his towel. "Now how about you tell me the truth. You got a thing for her?"

Dean sank back into the water and partially floated as he looked up at Seth. Did he have a thing for Miss Zoey Linn? She was definitely beautiful, but timid and soft spoken. The latter two not exactly qualities he looked for in a woman. "Not really," he finally replied.

Seth cocked his head to the side, giving Dean a look that said he didn't believe what Dean was saying.

Dean stopped floating and stood up in the water. "Look, even if I was by some strange chance interested in her, she's terrified of me."

"She's terrified of all of us," Seth replied. "I saw how she acted when Lexi and Amber brought her to our locker room that first time. She looked as if she were afraid we were going to chop her into little pieces."

"Exactly." Dean nodded. "Granted, I can understand her being a bit intimidated by Roman. The bastard has perfected that look of intimidation. There are moments when I wonder what's going through his mind. Still, if we're being honest, you and I are not that scary."

Seth chuckled. "I might not be that scary, but let me remind you that you've got that crazy act down to a science. Half of the roster still wonders if you're really insane or it's actually an act."

"Okay, so how do I convince her to that I'm not totally bonkers?"

Seth shrugged. "Not a clue, but you could try being a little more like yourself and a little less like your character when she's around." He wrapped the towel round his shoulders and stood. "That is only if you're really interested in her and want to get to know her better, which you're not, so there's no need to change a thing, right?"

"Right," Dean replied, even though he knew Seth didn't believe him. Hell, he wasn't sure he believe himself.

"I'm heading back to the room for a shower. Amber and I will meet you for breakfast in say an hour?"

Dean absently nodded as his thoughts began to scramble. "Yeah, an hour." He watched as Seth slid his feet into his flip flops and headed for the door, but his mind was already on Zoey. What exactly did he want from the woman? She had caught his eye even before the Bella's had messed with her, but she really didn't fit with the type of girl he was looking for. Not that he was looking at all.

He turned and started yet another lap through the water as he analyzed his thoughts. So why did everyone in the group suddenly have this misguided idea that he was interested in Zoey. Couldn't he simply help out someone in need without having to face an inquisition?

He touched the side of the pool, turned and started back for the other end. If he was feeling a little left out being the only single member of his group, which he wasn't, he'd be looking at someone that had a personality more like Lexi's. Kaitlyn came to mind as fitting that bill. She was beautiful, spirited and not afraid of him.

So why did the idea of dating Kaitlyn not sit well with him? Zoey might be a bit shy, but she had an innocence about her that the other women here lacked. She had a simple beauty to her; a girl next door look that he found attractive and he'd bet his left nut that hidden beneath her braid and glasses was a firecracker waiting to be lit.

Half way across the pool he pulled up and bobbed in the water as the truth smacked him in the face. "Fuck!" He wiped a wet hand over his face. Seth was never gonna let him live this down.

Zoey sat, legs crossed on top of Lexi's bed and looked between her two new friends. In the two weeks since coming to her aid, she'd grown closer to Lexi and Amber than she'd ever thought possible. She still wasn't quite sure why these two, talent women had taken an interest in helping her, but at this point, she was thankful for their aid. Since that day, the Bella's considerably backed off their razzing of her, leaving her to only deal with her roommate Alicia.

Still, finding out about her new storyline had her nervous. The Shield sat directly in the WWE spotlight and she was most definitely a backstage in the shadows type of girl. "I'm telling you Lexi, I can't do this."

Lexi leaned against the dresser, folded her arms and rolled her eyes. "Why in the hell not? Do you know how many people would kill for this chance?"

"I know." She lowered her gaze to the comforter. "I-I just can't."

"You can if Hunter wants you to," Lexi pushed.

"Okay," Amber began. "Just wait a minute. Lexi, back off a sec." She climbed onto the bed next to Zoey. "Why can't you do this?"

Zoey shot her a sideways glance. "Besides the whole being in the spotlight thing?"

Amber gave her a small smile. "Besides that."

Could they possibly understand how she was feeling? Lexi appeared so strong and mentally tough, Zoey doubted the woman was ever afraid of much. Amber on the other hand, had a quiet nature. Maybe, just maybe she'd understand. "Okay...you're with Seth, right?"

"Right."

"And Lexi is with Roman."

"Correct."

"So, that means if I join The Shield I'm automatically Dean's love interest."

"And you don't like Dean," Lexi added as she crossed over to join them on the bed.

Zoey shook her head. "It's not that. He's just so...scary." She ventured a glance at Amber who appeared to be considering her statement. Needing to get it all out, she ventured on. "I mean he's cute and everything, but from what I've seen of him, he's intimidating and unpredictable."

Lexi laughed, causing Zoey to look up. "What's so funny?"

"You think Dean is intimidating. Hello, have you seen Roman in action?"

Amber giggled. "Yeah, just wait until you see him give Lexi that you're gonna get your ass beat look. I swear I still hide behind Seth when Roman gets that look."

"I understand what you're saying," Zoey interrupted. "But that's not what I mean. Dean is hard to read. Like you never know exactly what's going through his mind and that's frightening."

"Dean crazy persona is just that," Lexi replied. "It's an act that he puts on to make people think he's tougher than what he really is.

"Exactly," Amber added. "You just need to get to know him."

"Guess I'll get that chance with this new storyline," Zoey mumbled. "You know there is something else."

"What?" the girls asked in unison.

"I can't act," Zoey admitted. "That's also a reason why I've been reduced to being the jobber for women like Aksana and Alicia when they're in need of a win. I don't have to talk or act. I just go out and wrestle." She looked between her friends and sighed. "You're all so good in front of the spotlight. Even if I wanted to do this storyline, I'll never pass _The Shield _test."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Zoey sat on the couch in Hunter's office as Lexi and Hunter battled. "You have it within your power to delay her introduction to the shield," Lexi argued.

Hunter sighed. "Not this time, I don't." He raked a hand over his face. "I knew this wasn't a good idea from the beginning."

"Then why did you agree to it," Zoey asked from where she sat. "I mean it's not like I came to you begging for it."

"You didn't, but someone did and that person was pretty convincing."

Zoey exchanged a look of shock with Lexi. "Who?"

Hunter shook his head. "I'd rather not say." He blew out a breath and looked at Lexi. "Look, creative already has everything written and I'd rather not send them scrambling for a rewrite when it's not really an emergency. So here's what I'll do...I'll give you whatever tools you need to make it happen, but you have one week to turn her into some sort of actress."

"Or what?" Lexi asked.

Hunter leveled a look at her. "Every time you ask that question you don't like the answer I give. You have one week, so get busy."

With a feeling of dread Zoey stood and followed Lexi from Hunter's office. "I'm really sorry about all this."

Lexi turned to face her and smiled, though Zoey noted how it didn't reach her friend's eyes. Lexi was worried and she had every right to be. "This isn't your fault," she replied. "We just have to turn you into an actress."

"How do we do that in one week?"

Lexi sighed. "We start by finding Amber and Kaitlyn." She motioned for Zoey to follow. "Let's go."

Two hours later, frustrated and feeling defeated, Zoey paced in front of her friends. She'd spent the last two hours working through an acting class Amber found online, but she didn't appear to be making any progress. "People spend years learning how to act and I'm supposed to do it in one week?"

"It's not really as hard as it seems," Amber replied.

"Really," Zoey shot back. "That's easy for you to say when you make it look so effortless."

"We're not expecting you to give an Oscar winning performance," Lexi added. "Look at Roman. He's not all that comfortable in front of the microphone, but he holds his own."

"He also doesn't have that many lines," Zoey replied.

Lexi nodded. "That's done on purpose. He relies on his power and strength to make up for his lack of mic skills."

"That works for him, but what about me? In case you haven't noticed I'm not all that intimidating."

"Who says you have to be?" Amber grinned and glanced between the girls. "I have an idea."

"Yeah?"

"What if we play up her shyness. Let her skills in the ring do her talking for her. As far as her mic skills go, we cover for her so she doesn't have to say much."

Lexi appeared to consider her statement. That would work, but she still needs to have some acting skills and she needs to at least appear like she's not completely terrified of Dean since she's going to be working so closely with him."

Amber nodded. "You're right. What do you suggest?"

"What if we have Zoey and Dean work some scenes together," Kaitlyn offered.

A slow grin spread across Lexi's face, causing Zoey's stomach to drop. What did her friend have planned for her? "That's brilliant. I read through the script earlier and I have just the scene for them to do."

She picked up her phone and dialed. "Hey baby. Is Dean with you?"

Butterflies filled Zoey's stomach. The last thing she wanted was to face Dean one-on-one.

"Can you send him over to Seth and Amber's room?" Lexi asked. "Yeah, we're trying to get Zoey ready for the show and we need his help." Lexi's attention drifted to Zoey and she smiled. "Great. Love you." She pressed a button on the phone disconnecting the call. "He's on his way."

Zoey dropped into the chair. "I really don't know about this."

"Well I do." Lexi knelt in front of her. "We know you have at least a little bit of acting skills, because In this business you can't climb into the ring without them. It comes with the territory."

"Yes, but selling a kick or a drop is a lot easier than talking," Zoe argued.

"Not really," Amber replied.

A knock on the door caused Zoey to jump. _Oh God_. Lexi moved away from her and opened the door. She stepped back and Dean walked into the room, his mere presence seemed to take up so much space Zoey suddenly felt claustrophobic.

Dean leveled a look at Lexi. "Roman said you needed my help?"

Lexi nodded. "Zoey needs a little acting help and since you two will be working some promos together I thought it would be wise if maybe you practiced a little."

Den slid a sideways glance at Zoey that made her stomach turn. He stared at her with those unreadable eyes. What exactly was he thinking? "Okay," he finally said. "What do you need?"

Lexi's eyes danced with mischief as she reached for the script. "Okay, so let's work on the promo where you approach her backstage." She handed the script to Dean first who appeared to read through it. Toward the end his lips tipped up for a brief moment before he again schooled his features into a neutral look. Then he turned and handed the script to Zoey.

His gaze bore through her as took the paper from him. How in the hell was she supposed to work with him when even his mere presence made her want to hide under the bed?

Slowly she read through the rough layout of what was supposed to take place. Much to her surprise, the idea was there, but there weren't any actual scripted lines. She paused and looked up at them. "This is just an outline and not actually a script."

"Right," Lexi nodded. "We're in charge of making up what we should say. It's more natural that way."

"I can't believe a big company like this doesn't script out every word."

"Oh they do for some of the wrestlers," Amber added. "There are a few who have trouble being spontaneous and others who just work better with a script, but for our group we work better on the fly."

Knowing there wasn't any way around this, Zoey tossed the papers on the bed and stood. "Okay, let's get this over with."

Lexi rubbed her hands together. "Good. So Zoey move over to the wall there and pretend you're getting something out of your bag. Dean will approach you just like he will at the arena. Just follow his lead and say whatever comes to your mind."

Zoey followed Lexi's orders and pretended to root through the bag. A moment later she felt Dean's presence as he moved in close. "Rumor has it that the Bella's are giving you problems."

Slowly Zoey lifted her head and forced herself to look at Dean. "It's nothing I can't handle."

He stepped forward, bringing him closer to her. Too close for Zoey's taste. "The Shield doesn't take kindly to bullies. We can help."

Her heart began to race and she straightened her spine as she stared up at him. Much to her chagrin he took yet another step closer and lifted his hand. He grazed a gentle knuckle along her cheek and her body shivered in response. "Don't be afraid," he whispered. "I won't hurt you."

Deep down she knew their little acting experience had morphed into something more, yet words had abandoned her and all she could do was swallow as she stared at him.

"You have nothing to fear from me, Zoey," he whispered and she noted how he continued to move ever closer. "The Shield will protect you."

With his face now mere inches from hers, she realized his intent, but was powerless to stop it. Hell, she wasn't all that sure she wanted to stop it. That same frightening aspect of Dean Ambrose was also intriguing and exciting. It had been so very long since any man kissed her, let alone someone as mysterious and dangerous as Dean.

"I'll protect you," he finally said as closed the remaining distance between them and brushed a soft kiss across her lips, the contact shocking, but not at all unpleasant. He did it a second time, and a third. His tongue teased her, begging for entrance and when she finally opened for him he quickly swept inside. All rational thought scurried for higher ground as emotion and sensations flooded her mind.

His hand slid around her neck, cupping her with his palm, holding her in place as he pressed his big body against her. Desire, hot as a lava and just as dangerous, flowed from her and she whimpered in response. He pressed forward, deepening the kiss, stoking her arousal. Desperate to feel him, she brought her hands up and slid her palms up his side, and over his shoulder until she wrapped her arms around his neck.

A low growl resonated from him as he slid his other arm around her and pulled her body against his. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined kissing the dangerous and intriguing Dean Ambrose, but now that she had, God help her, she never wanted him to stop.

The kiss seemed to go on and on, until finally, regrettably, he pulled back. With her mind damn near blank she stared up at him, unsure of what exactly to say. Thank you hardly seemed the appropriate response.

His lips tipped into a small grin as he stepped back. Cool air rushed between them and she shivered at the loss of him. "Like I said," he began. "The Shield can protect you." Once again he grazed a knuckle along her cheek before pulling back completely. "Think about it."

He turned and walked away, not just out of the scene that she'd forgotten they'd been rehearsing, but right on out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Zoey awoke to the ringing of her cell phone. Bleary eyed she glanced at the clock on the bedside table, noted numbers showing four fifteen in the morning, then fumbled for her phone. Her brother Zane's pictured appeared on the screen and she jolted completely awake.

"What's happened?" she asked as panic slid through her system. No way would Zane have called her at this hour for any reason other than bad news. Unfortunately, she had already had a pretty good idea of who the call was about.

"Mom's taken a turn for the worse," Zane's voice cracked through the tiny speaker. "She was complaining last night that she couldn't breathe and the nurse said we should call an ambulance. This is the first chance I've had to call you."

Tears welled and Zoey closed her eyes as she listened to her brother speak. Despite praying for a miracle, they'd known this day would come the moment the doctor uttered that single dreaded word..._Inoperable._

"What did the doctor's say?" she asked.

"It's spread to her liver. It's a matter of weeks at the most." He paused and Zoey swore she could hear him crying. "I need you here, Zoey. I know we agreed you'd stay working to keep a roof over mom's head, but I need you here. Mom needs you here."

Zoey hung her head and let the tears flow. She thought about her upcoming promo and storyline. Management wouldn't take kindly to her leaving, now of all times, but family came first. Family would always come first and they'd need to understand that fact. "I have to let to my boss know what's going on, but I should be home before the end of the day."

"Let me know your flight information and I'll send Carla to pick you up."

"I will. I love Zane. I see you soon." She hung up, plopped back against her pillow and stared into the darkness as her mind raced. Could her life possibly get any more complicated? Knowing she'd need to be strong in the days to come, she took the time now to lay in bed cry.

Her mother had been such a source of strength in her life. From the time she was little, Zoey saw her mother as a strong, confident woman. She never complained about being a single mother. She never whined about the hand life dealt them. Even after she'd been diagnosed with Stage II pancreatic cancer she'd stayed optimistic. Going home frightened Zoey just a little. For the first time in her life she'd see her mother weak and helpless. It wasn't an image she wanted to carry with her, but staying away wasn't fair to anyone. Now it was time for her to take on some of her mother's strength and do what was right.

As daylight slowly peeked around the curtains and spilled into the room Zoey wiped her tears. She'd spent enough time crying over something she couldn't change. As she'd learned when she was a little girl, when the soldiers had shown up on her doorstep to tell them her father had died, life sometime sucked rotten eggs and there wasn't a damn thing she could do to change that fact. All she could do now was go home and be there for her mother and brother during these final days.

After checking the clock, she stirred. Less than an hour later, with a lump in her throat and a heavy heart, she knocked on Hunter's door. She prayed that Hunter would understand and wouldn't be too angry, but if she needed to she'd invoke her right to use the Family Leave Act. No way was she not going home today. The door swung open and Hunter's brow furrowed at the sight of her. "Zoey? What's wrong?"

Dean sat next to Seth at the breakfast table and poked at his food. Despite his attempt to feign indifference, he caught himself glancing toward the entrance. After their kiss yesterday, he hadn't been able to shake the need to see her again. _That damn kiss!_

He took a deep breath as he thought back to the moment when he'd made the decision to push her. He hadn't actually expected her to go through with it. No, he'd anticipated a slap to the face and to see outrage in those expressive green eyes. Instead he'd found innocence and desire staring back at him and for those few short moments when they were connected he'd swore he was in heaven.

"A watched pot never boils, you know."

Dean shook his head in an attempt to wipe away his thoughts much like one would wipe clean an etch-a-sketch. "What?" He looked at Seth.

His friend wore a huge grin as he stared back at Dean. "I said a watched pot never boils."

"What in the hell are you talking about?" Dean shot back, though they both knew exactly to what Seth referred.

"Why didn't you just stop by her room and knock on her door?" Amber asked. "After the kiss you two shared yesterday I think it would have been appropriate."

Seth's eyes widened in shock as he looked from Dean to Amber and back. "You kissed her? And you didn't tell us? You dog."

Dean rolled his eyes skyward. "The girls asked me to help her with an acting exercise and...well..." How in the hell could he begin to explain his reasons why he'd done what he did?

Never one to let a prime harassment opportunity pass, Seth pressed the issue. "I thought you said you weren't interested in Zoey?"

Knowing he'd never live down what he was about to say, Dean sighed and cocked his head to the size. "You were right."

Seth's brow winged up and his grin widened. "Excuse me?" He cupped a hand to his ear. "I don't believe I heard you correctly."

"All right dickhead, I said you were right. Let's not make a federal case out of this."

Seth leveled a look at Dean that he knew meant their conversation was far from over, but before he could continue movement in the entrance caught Dean's eye. He turned his attention in that direction only to be disappointed at the sight of Roman and Lexi without Zoey. _Where in the hell is she? _Had their kiss scared her even more?

"Morning," Roman said as they approached.

"Morning," Seth and Amber replied.

"Where's Zoey?" Dean asked as he studied Lexi's face. The look she wore told him something was wrong.

"Zoey is gone." She replied as she slid into an empty seat.

"Wait," Dean held up a hand as brain tried to process her words. "What do you mean gone?"

"I mean gone," Lexi replied on a sigh. "I knocked on her door a little while ago and when I didn't get an answer I got worried. So I went to the front desk to get an extra keycard only the desk clerk said Zoey checked out over an hour ago."

"Checked out?" Amber asked. "Where did she go?"

Lexi looked from Amber to Dean. "I wondered the same thing so I called Hunter. He said she had a family emergency during the night and was heading home. He said he couldn't tell me any more except that it was bad and he didn't know when she'd be back."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

Zoey stepped off the plane and made her way through the terminal where she found Zane's long-time girlfriend, Carla waiting. "Hey girl," Carla wrapped her in a hug. "You look good." 

"Yeah, you too," Zoey replied as she fingered a strand of Carla's now blonde hair. "Love the hair color. It' looks good on you." 

Carla grinned. "Zane thinks so too." 

"So how is Zane really holding up?" Zoey picked up her bag.

Carla grabbed the other bag and they began walking toward the parking garage. "He's doing as well as can be expected. Mom started really not looking well a couple of weeks ago, but the nurse said that was to be expected considering the nature of her condition. Then last night Zane went in to check on mom before he went to bed. That's when he discovered she was having a hard time breathing." Carla pointed toward the exit doors. "The car is this way."

"He said the ER doctors told him since it's now in her liver her days are numbered." Zoey replied as she fought back the need to cry.

Carla nodded. "Since they stopped the chemo a few months ago, it's become very aggressive and it's moving fast. She's too weak to do anymore chemo or radiation. Not that either was working anyway."

They approached the red KIA Sorento and Carla popped the hatch. Zoey dumped her bag inside then climbed into the passenger seat. Carla closed the hatch, opened the driver's door and slid behind the steering wheel. "Does she look bad?" Zoey asked.

Carla glanced over at her as she stared the vehicle. "Not as bad as you'd expect for a woman who is dying."

An hour and a half later Zoey opened the door and walked back into the home where she was raised. Nothing had changed in the time she'd been gone, but then her mom always hated change.

"Her bedroom is in the den." Carla pointed to the back of the house. Zoey gave a nod and left her bags at the bottom of the steps. As much as she loved her mother and wanted to be there for her, she dreaded what she was about to see.

When she finally worked up the courage to enter the room, Heather, the nurse they'd hired looked up from the corner where she sat reading a book. "Zoey." She smiled and set her book aside as she stood. "You're home."

Zoey nodded as she stared at the skeletal figure lying beneath the sheets in the hospital bed. She swallowed hard and forced her attention on Heather. "How's mom doing?"

Heather placed a hand over Zoey's. "We've upped her pain medication so she's comfortable. Right now she's resting. Which from the way you look, I'd say you also need a little rest."

Zoey nodded. "It's been a stressful few weeks at work and I didn't sleep that well last night."

Heather grabbed Zoey by the shoulders and turned her away. "Go upstairs, take a nap. I'll come get you when she wakes."

Emotionally exhausted, Zoey didn't bother to fight. It might be a bit cowardly of her, but nap gave her an excuse to escape the uncomfortable scene. "I'll be upstairs."

She made her way back through the house, grabbed her bag and slowly climbed the steps leading to her old bedroom.

Her room also looked exactly the same, she absently thought as she dropped her bag on the window seat then turned and crawled into bed. Trying not to think about anything she curled into a ball and closed her eyes, but her mind immediately wandered to something a bit more pleasant than her current situation

She lifted a hand to her lips and swore she could still feel Dean's mouth against hers. Never, in her life had she ever had a man kiss her with so much passion. Then there was the way he'd looked at her when he pulled back, like for that moment she was the center of his world. Emotionally wrecked, tears pooled and she sucked in a ragged breath.

That one kiss told her so much more than words ever could have when it came to Dean and their emerging relationship. Not only was he not the crazy man she'd feared, but he cared about her. How was it possible for someone to care so much about her when he didn't even know her?

If she'd been able to stay and continue with the storyline, just how far would have their relationship have gone both onscreen and off? How close would she have allowed him to get? She shook her head and rolled over to look out the window. Speculating about what could have been was pointless. Right now this was where she needed to be. By the time she returned, if she returned, he'll have moved on and she needed to do the same.

Knowing she'd missed her opportunity didn't change the fact that she wished he was with her right now.

Dean sat on the edge of the bench, cell phone in one hand and number in the other. It hadn't taken much sweet talk to get Lexi to give up Zoey's cell number. If he were to guess, Dean would bet she was hoping for he and Zoey to hook up.

Well, he'd been hoping for that too. Now Zoey was gone and he wasn't all that sure how he felt about that fact. For the last two weeks she'd consumed his thoughts as he wondered how he could convince her that he wasn't some psychopath.

Just when he'd finally made some progress, fate seemed to step in and take it all away. Would the momentum they seemed to be building still be there when she returned or will time give her the opportunity to pull back into her shell?

His eyes widened on a terrible thought. _What if she didn't return? _What if this family emergency ended up being some life altering event that took her away from the WWE and in turn away from him? His heart sank with that idea. Never in his life had he felt like this about any other woman, especially one he'd yet to coerce into his bed. That had to mean something.

The sound of the locker room door opening pulled Dean from his thoughts. He looked up to see his partners in crime enter, already dressed in their ring gear and ready for tonight's match. "Hey."

Roman nodded his greeting and Seth slid into the empty space next to Dean. "Hey buddy. Whatcha doing?"

If this moment had been a few months ago he would have thought twice about sharing his feelings. But this wasn't a few months ago and both his friends were happily engaged. He'd watched Lexi slowly bring Roman out of his shell and despite the big man's quiet nature, Dean could see how happy she made him.

Seth on the other hand. He'd never seen a man fall harder or faster for a woman. Even now, that terrible moment when Seth sat on the hallway floor cradling Amber after Brad's attack still burned bright in his mind. The look of absolute horror etched into Seth's features as Amber slowly bled out from the knife wound was something Dean would never forget.

Knowing he could trust his two best friends he showed Seth the paper. "I convinced Lexi to give me Zoey's cell number, but I'm having second thoughts about calling her."

"Why?" Roman asked from where he now leaned against the concrete wall. "What's the harm in calling her?"

Dean set his phone aside. "Hunter said she went home for a family emergency. What if my call interrupts something serious or worse yet what if she thinks I'm stalking her." He raked a hand through his hair. "I just finally made a little progress with her and don't want her being afraid of me again."

Seth picked Dean's phone off the bench and held it out. "You really like her, right?"

Dean nodded. Admitting he had feelings for anyone was hard, but knowing Seth and Roman understood made it much easier. "Yeah, I think I do."

"Then let her know that fact." Seth handed him back his phone. "It's a cell number, bro. Send her a text. Let her know you're thinking about her and if she needs anything to call. Then leave the ball in her court."

"I agree with Seth's idea." Roman pushed off the wall. "You're not interrupting anything with a text, yet you're letting her know you're here if she needs you." A slow grin spread across his face as he looked down at Dean. "As hard as it is for guys like us, sometimes you have to give up control to get what you really want."

Seth patted Dean on the back and stood. "I agree. Now we're gonna go stretch before the match. You have ten minutes before ring time. Text her, then put her out of your mind because we need you focused tonight."

Dean nodded. "Don't you worry. I'll be ready." He waited until they left before he turned his attention back to his phone. What in the hell am I supposed to say? For several minutes he stared at the screen, as his thoughts slowly congealed into something coherent. Then, before he lost his nerve he picked up her number, and began typing.

_Hunter said you had a family emergency. I hope everything is alright. If it's not and you need to talk, I'm just a phone call away...Dean._

His thumb hovered over the send button as he reread the message. Short and to the point, yet it still managed to convey his concern without sounding stalkerish. He hit send, then placed his phone his bag and headed out to meet the guys. As he reached for the door a random thought plowed through his mind and caused his heart to sink. _What if she didn't call? _


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Zoey walked out of the funeral home and climbed into the backseat of the SUV as Carla and Zane got in the front. Finalizing the plans for their mother's funeral when she hadn't yet passed seemed morbid, but was very much necessary. She struggled to keep her emotions in check as Zane backed out of the parking slot and turned onto the main road. Being the older child, she'd been expected to set an example and look after her younger brother. She was the responsible one, the good child who always followed the rules and did no wrong.

At twenty-one Zane still looked to her to take control. His unwillingness to grow up and take on more responsibilities left her feeling resentful and alone. Not only did Zane pass the hard decisions off on her, but he then turned to Carla for comfort and strength.

Zoey bit down on her lip as she sucked in a cleansing breath. Just who in the hell was she supposed to turn to for comfort? Almost on instinct she reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. It took only a moment for her to find Dean's message from a week ago.

_Hunter said you had a family emergency. I hope everything is alright. If it's not and you need to talk, I'm just a phone call away...Dean._

She brushed a thumb over the message and closed her eyes as she drew strength from the knowledge that he cared. Even though they were just words and she in fact hadn't called him, they meant everything to her.

Zane pulled into the driveway and groaned. "Uncle Walt and Aunt Rita are here."

Zoey locked eyes with her brother and a silent agreement passed between them. They both knew the only reason for Aunt Rita's visit was to scout out the house for antiques and push them both to start handing things over. Almost from the moment when they'd disclosed their mother's illness Aunt Rita began her covert operation to take over the house and its contents.

In her absence, Zane had done a good job keeping Aunt Rita at bay. Now it was Zoey's turn to take up the fight and stand her ground.

An hour later Zoey ushered her lovable uncle and gold digging aunt out the front door. She turned back to Zane and rubbed her head. "I need to get out of here for a while. You okay if I take a walk?"

Zane nodded. "Heather has mom covered. I'm gonna go to work for a few hours and Carla's gonna start dinner. Go get some fresh air."

Zoey wrapped her arms around Zane. "We will get through this."

"I know, Sis."

She pulled back, grabbed her phone and headed out the front door. The early afternoon sun beat down on her as she crossed the street, walked the two blocks to the park and then on into the woods where she and Zane used to play as kids. Following the nearly overgrown path she weaved her way around the trees and worked her way toward the sound of water. With each step her breathing grew ragged and the tears welled.

She emerged into a clearing and approached a small rock formation near the babbling brook. Emotionally broken she collapsed onto the rock and sobbed. Her phone slipped from her pocket and hit the ground with a thud. She reached over to pick it up and when the screen lit, she found Dean's message staring back at her.

For several long moments she stared at the words then she swiped a hand across her face, wiping her tears, and sucked in a couple of deep breaths. Then she did the one thing she never thought she'd do.

The phone rang once, twice and on the third ring his voice resonated through the speaker. "Zoey."

"Hey," she replied as she brain struggled for something to say. "Do you have a few minutes? I need to talk."

Dean stalked into the locker room and dropped his bag on the bench. He'd spent the last hour on the phone with Zoey, listening to her cry and talk, joking with her about the storyline that didn't happen and catching her up on meaningless gossip. Not only was he now running behind, but his focus was shot. All he wanted was to pack up his gear, hop a plane and fly to North Carolina to be with her.

Instead he needed to prepare for tonight's six man tag match.

Roman glanced up from where he laced his boots. "You're late."

Dean turned and sat on the bench, then scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed. "I was on the phone with Zoey for over an hour."

Seth stopped prepping his hair, looked at Roman then over to Dean. "So she finally called you?"

Dean nodded. "She needed a shoulder to cry on." He leaned back and thudded his head against the locker. "I wish to hell I could have been there in person instead of on the other end of a damn cell phone."

Roman leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "What's happened?"

"Her mom's dying," Dean replied. "She's in the final stages of pancreatic cancer."

"Fuck." Seth threw his brush at his bag. "That so totally sucks."

"Yeah," Dean replied. "She's heartbroken and exhausted, feeling incredibly alone and just needed someone to talk to." He leaned forward and shook his head. "I've never felt so damn helpless in my life as I did listening to her cry on the other end of the phone."

"Please tell me she's not having to handle everything all by herself," Seth said.

Dean shook his head. "She has her younger brother and his girlfriend, but they're both looking to her for answers and support. She has no one to turn to."

"Wrong," Seth corrected. "She has you."

"What good can I do for her being hundreds of miles away?"

"You were there for her when she needed to talk," Roman added. "I promise you, that probably means a lot to her."

"I agree with Roman, Seth replied. "I also hate to be the one to do this, but you need to put her out of your mind and focus on the upcoming match."

"Yeah." Dean reached for his bag. "You're right. It's just not easy."

Roman and Seth both nodded. "Trust me," Seth replied. "We know."

Three hours later special ops began to play through the arena and Dean descended the stairs next to Seth. He assessed his opponents in the ring and put on his best battle face. Seth started the match and Dean stood on the apron waiting his turn.

He itched to rid himself of some of the extra emotion he carried. Life could be so damn unfair sometimes. What Zoey was facing really was an injustice. An injustice he couldn't thwart. Seth tagged Roman and Dean nearly growled in frustration. He wanted in that ring. He wanted to hurt somebody, to make his opponent pay.

Roman took a hard drop kick to the chest and rolled to their corner. Dean reached across the rope and tagged him. He burst into the ring, exploding on Kane as pent up frustration poured from him. He raced toward Kane who lifted him above his head. Dean came down on the other side. He grabbed the top rope and prepared to launch back into the ring. Only his foot slipped on the edge of the apron. His ankle twisted and he felt the pain the same moment he heard the loud pop in his knee. He let out a cry as his fingers slipped from the ropes and he dropped to the floor.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Dean sat on the exam table and watched as Doctor Amman studied the x-ray. "Well, nothing is broken, but you'll need a MRI. If the ACL is not torn then you'll be out a few weeks."

"And if it is?" Seth asked.

Doctor Amman leveled a look at Seth. "Surgery and months of recovery."

Dean ventured a glance at his two best friends who now looked as worried as he felt.

"What in the hell happened?" Roman finally asked.

Dean shrugged. "My foot slipped."

"You weren't focused," Seth replied.

"I was too," Dean argued. "It was just an accident."

Roman took a step forward. "We've worked with you for a long time now. We know when you're focused and when you're not." He pointed toward the center of the arena. "You were way too aggressive out there." Then he folded his arms across his chest and stared at Dean with a don't bullshit me look. "I agree with Seth. Your mind was elsewhere."

Dean glanced between his buddies. How in the hell could he argue with them when they were right? At least he'd been the one who paid for his lapse in concentration and not Roman or Seth. He turned to look at Doctor Amman. "So what happens now?"

"I send you for an MRI with the company specialist. Then we decided how to proceed. Either way, you're done in the ring for at least a couple of weeks."

Late the next afternoon Dean sat in the specialist office with his heart in his throat as conflicting emotions dueled inside his head. The Shield had so much momentum and push right now. Any serious injury would kill that push and hurt the team. Still, if he did manage to get some time off out of this he could go to North Carolina and be with Zoey. Roman and Seth were a damn good tag team and could easily carry on without him. Zoey on the other hand desperately needed some support. Even on one leg he could totally give her that support.

The door opened and Doctor Shapiro entered. "Well, Mr. Ambrose, you are one very lucky man. The test revealed no tears to any of the ligaments."

Dean blew out a breath. "Meaning?"

"Meaning a few weeks on crutches and then a couple more rehabbing and you'll be back in the ring."

That also meant he was headed to North Carolina. He'd just give Lexi and see if she could coerce Zoey's address out of Hunter.

Zoey sat in the den turned temporary bedroom, next to the hospital bed with her mother's boney hand in hers. "When do you go back to work?" Sara asked her words slow and labored.

"I'm here for the duration," Zoey replied. "My bosses are good people. They don't mind."

Sara gave her a sad smile. "It won't be much longer now."

Her words caused Zoey to close her eyes as she tried to contain her emotions. What in the hell was she supposed to say? "Mom-"

"Don't." Sara gently patted her hand. "Don't tell me not to give up hope. We all are adults and we all know the truth. It's okay, sweetie."

A tear escaped and trickled down Zoey's cheek as she looked at her mother, amazed at the woman's resilient spirit. "It's not fair," she finally whispered.

"No, it's not, but you know all too well that life isn't fair. Besides-" her smile returned as she appeared to stare off into space, and Zoey noted how this time the smile lit her dull eyes. "I'll finally get to be with your father again."

The joy in her mother's words pulled a smile from Zoey. "You really loved dad didn't you?"

"With all my heart-" Sara replied. "He was my everything. Being without him all these years has been so hard." She turned her head and stared at Zoey with that knowing look she used to get whenever she thought Zoey needed advice. "Zane has Carla to love after I'm gone. Who do you have, sweetie? Is there a man who has your heart?"

Zoey's thoughts immediately turned to Dean. After their conversation the other day she felt even closer to him. He'd abated the remainder of her fear and in its place gave her the strength she'd needed to continue on. He cared about her and as much as she might not want to admit it, she was coming to care about him. "There is this one guy at work."

"Tell me about him," Sara ordered.

"He's tall and a little mysterious. His hair is maybe a mahogany color, a little reddish brown." Zoey grinned as she tried to picture him. "It's definitely a different shade of red than mine."

"You like him?" Sara asked.

"Yeah, I think I really do," Zoey replied.

Sara gave her hand a light squeeze. "Then follow your heart, Zoey. Your mind can play tricks on you and make you question your intentions, but your heart-" She gave a slight shake of her head. "Your heart is never wrong."

Zoey heard the doorbell and nearly groaned. It was probably more friends or extended family coming to say their goodbyes to her mother, but they were having such a nice talk, such a great moment she didn't want it to end.

Knowing Carla or Heather would tend to the door she turned back to her mom. "I've never really been in love before, mom. How do I know if he's the right one?"

Sara's thin lips pulled into another smile as she stared at Zoey. "It's not something that can be explained. There's no single identifier that will tell you that you're in love. You'll just know."

"Zoey?" Carla's voice carried down the hall.

"Yeah?" Zoey yelled back, just a little upset at the interruption.

"Um...there's someone here for you."

Knowing she couldn't avoid it, Zoey let go of her mom's hand. "I'll be right back." Intent on getting rid of whoever it was she walked out of the den and down the short hall. She turned the corner and stopped in her tracks as shock zipped through her system. For a brief moment she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. No way could he really be here.

Standing in the doorway with a crutch under his arm and a smile on his face he looked at her. "Dean?" She took tentative step toward him, still not quite believing her eyes.

"I hope you don't mind me showing up unannounced," he replied as he motioned to his crutch. "But I'm out of action for a few weeks and thought maybe you could use some help."

A wave of emotion swamped her as she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. She heard the crutch fall away a split second before his arms came around her. He held her close, with one hand against her back and the other in her hair as she buried her face against his chest and let the tears flow.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Dean took a moment to simply enjoy the feel of her against him. He'd forgotten just how well she fit in his arms. "I didn't mean to make you cry," he finally whispered against her hair.

Much to his disappointment she pulled back but still managed a small smile as she looked up at him. "They're tears of happiness," she replied.

So she was happy to see him. That little admission sent joy coursing through system. He'd been a bit concerned about showing up unannounced and intruding on her personal crisis. In fact from the moment his plane landed, he'd began to question the wiseness of his decision to come. He'd then debated with himself during the entire hour and half drive from the airport to her house, making good arguments on both sides of the coin. Knowing she was glad to see him removed his remaining doubt.

Still, seeing her cry, even if they were tears of happiness made him uncomfortable. He lifted a hand to her face and wiped the moisture from her cheek with his thumb. "No more tears."

Her hand came up to cover his, stilling his motion. For several seconds she stared at him, as the air in the room changed, growing heavier with emotion. The sudden need to taste her lips overwhelmed him. It was a totally inappropriate move considering his unannounced arrival and the overall situation. Still, he'd never been one to follow etiquette or do what was right. Gauging her reactions, he moved slowly as he closed the distance between them. His heart did a little flip in his chest when instead of pulling away she turned her face toward him. "No more tears," he whispered again a split second before his mouth came down over hers.

Her body went pliant in his arms as he gathered her close a second time. A whimper escaped her, but she didn't pull away, didn't show any signs of fear he'd seen before. Instead she slipped one arm around his neck then lifted her other hand to his face, her fingers feathering over his cheek as she turned her head to the side. Her lips parted in invitation and he accepted, delving in, taking the kiss deeper until he thought he just might drown.

God he hadn't realized just how much he missed this, how much he'd missed her. How in the hell had he allowed himself to get attached so quickly? Normally, whenever he realized a woman was starting to steal his heart he'd end the relationship and move on. Not this time. No, this time he desperately wanted to take what they had to the next level and then on to the next. This time he wouldn't be satisfied until she wore his ring on her finger, until everyone knew to whom she belonged.

_Hell! _ He was getting so far ahead of himself...of where they were right now. As much as he didn't want to, he had to slow down and proceed with caution. The last thing she needed was him adding additional weight of relationship pressures to her already overburdened shoulders. When he finally pulled back he looked down at her and saw something in her eyes he couldn't quite identify staring back.

He took her hand still cradling his face, pulled it away and pressed a kiss to her palm. "So I'm guessing by that kiss, you really are happy to see me."

She smiled despite the tears still trickling down her cheeks. "You have no idea."

"Um Zoey?"

Carla's voice broke through the moment and Zoey turned to look at her future sister-in-law, then she looked back at Dean. _Wow!_ _Way to totally lose control Zoey! _Had she really just revealed her feelings to him in front of Carla?

"You want to introduce me to your friend?" Carla asked.

Zoey nodded as she quickly gathered her focus. "Um...Carla this is Dean-." She looked back at him, ready to introduce him as her friend only to stop mid-sentence. Somehow in such a short time he'd become so much more to her than just a friend, but was he her boyfriend? Had they reached that stage of placing labels on what they shared? Chickening out she simply proceeded without labeling him as anything. "Dean, this is my brother's girlfriend, Carla."

With a mischievous grin, Carla extended a hand to Dean. "Nice to meet you Dean."

"You too." He shook her hand.

Carla pulled back, tucked her thumbs in her front jean pockets and rocked back on her heels. "So..." She grinned at Zoey then turned her attention back to Dean. "Zoey never told us she had a boyfriend."

Zoey's eyes widened in horror. She'd made a point not to use the B-word only to have Carla interject it into the conversation within the first two minutes of meeting Dean. God! At that moment Zoey would have loved nothing more than to crawl under a rock and hide. She cut her attention to the floor as heat flooded her face. How could Carla go there? Mortified she couldn't bring herself to look at him.

Dean's hand slid beneath Zoey's and he laced his fingers through hers, giving her a gentle squeeze. "I'm sure with everything going on here it probably just slipped her mind," he replied as if he'd expected the comment.

Shock filtered through her as she lifted her head to venture a look at him. He met her gaze and smiled. "Right, honey?"

Thankful for his willingness to play along and not force some long explanation she agreed. "Um...right."

"Well-" Carla waved a dismissive hand. "Regardless, it's nice to meet you. I hope you'll be staying for a while?"

He cut a quick glance at Zoey. "I'll be here for as long as she needs me."

"Great," Carla replied apparently oblivious to the heat now building between Zoey and Dean. "I'm sure with your bad knee lugging your bags in would be hard. I'll get Zane to do it when he gets home from work."

"Thanks," Dean replied even as he continued to stare at Zoey. "I appreciate it."

"No problem. Well...I have dinner to finish." Carla motioned toward the kitchen. "Zoey, you'll need to introduce Dean to mom."

Zoey nodded. "I will."

She waited until Carla was out of earshot then turned back to Dean. "I'm sorry for that boyfriend comment."

"I'm not," Dean replied, as he snagged her by the hip and pulled her against him. Heat flared low in her belly as she pressed a steadying hand against his chest and looked up at him. The look on his face, the desire in his eyes only served to fuel the sudden all-encompassing need coursing through her.

"Good to know," she finally whispered as her brain scrambled to maintain focus. "Especially since you'll now have to play the roll the entire time you're here."

He grinned as he stared down at her. "There's only one problem, sweetheart."

"What's that?" she replied, damn near breathless.

His grin widened as he slowly lowered his mouth to hers. "I won't be playing."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Dean assessed the shell of a woman laying the hospital bed and tried to imagine her as a vibrant healthy mother. If Zoey was any gauge of what Sara looked like when she was younger, he'd bet she'd been a beautiful, amazing woman.

After Zoey introduced him to Sara, he'd spent the next two hours sitting and talking with the dying woman. What a woman she was too. Despite facing death head on and without fear, she also seemed to be guiding the family and calling the shots. Slowed and groggy from the pain medication she still appeared to have most of her mental faculties.

He'd noted how her eyes widened when Zoey first introduced him, not so much in surprise as excitement; as if she knew exactly who he was and why he was there simply by the sound of his name. Briefly, he wondered if Zoey had talked to her mother about him, but immediately dismissed the thought. He doubted she'd given him much thought beyond her phone call to him.

Regardless, he enjoyed the little time grated him to get to her mother. Sara spent the time asking him questions any parent might ask their child's prospective suitor. He'd gladly indulged her and had even managed to make the woman smile a few times.

Zoey on the other hand seemed nervous and unsettled. She hovered over Sara and jumped at her every movement. More than once he'd wanted to grab her and pull her onto his lap just to force her to settle down. He'd refrained, mostly because he hadn't wanted to add to her stress. Finally, when Sara grew tired, they'd excused themselves to let her sleep.

"What now?" Zoey asked as she glanced back at Sara's bed.

"How about you show me the rest of the place?" Dean offered. Through the window he noted the large deck off the back of the house. "Maybe some fresh air?"

She nodded, then held the door as he maneuvered his crutched through the opening. The rather large deck led to an even larger back yard with an attached above ground swimming pool and a small wooded area at the back of the lot. "This is a really nice place," he offered as he eased down into the nearest chair and tried not to grimace from the pain in his knee.

"Thanks." she watched him for a moment, then crossed the deck, grabbed a second chair and brought it to him. "Here, let's get that knee elevated."

He gingerly lifted his leg and placed his foot in the chair seat.

"Better?"

He nodded. "Much. Thanks."

She leveled a look at him. "So, you're not holding out about the seriousness of that injury are you?"

Her concern touched him. She really did care. He grinned. "No, baby. I'm not. It's just a strain that needs some rest."

Appearing appeased by his answer she took a seat across from him. "You should have gone home to rest."

"I can rest here just as easily," he replied. "Besides, I wanted to be with you." That admission came much easier than he'd expected, though by her lack of reaction he wondered how easy it was for her to hear. Instead of pushing the subject he decided to change it completely. There would be time later to work out their feelings.

"So how long has your family lived here?" Dean asked as he glanced over his shoulder at the two-story home. It sure beat the hell out of any place he'd ever lived.

"All my life," she replied. "My folks bought the place before I was born and I was raised here."

"It's a nice house and a nice neighborhood."

She nodded. "It's always been this way. Right after dad died mom was worried that we'd have to move, but she took on two jobs and scrimped and saved in order to keep us here." Zoey developed a faraway look in her eyes as she spoke. "Besides the dorm at college it's the only place I ever lived."

She'd gone to college? Why in the world was she wrestling as a jobber if she had a college degree? Realizing now wasn't the time to broach that subject he tucked the thought away for a later conversation. "I bet it must have been great growing up in a big house with a pool in a nice safe neighborhood." He thought back to his own childhood, the nights of going to bed hungry because there wasn't enough food and the constant moving from shithole to shithole because his folks would run out of money and couldn't make rent.

"It was," she replied, then her brow furrowed as if she'd just realized something. "Didn't you grow up in something similar?"

Dean chuckled and shook his head. The innocence and naivety in her statement reminded him of why he'd been attracted to her from the start. "Hardly," he replied, knowing he'd have to expand on his one word reply. Had this been a few years ago he would have clammed up about his past. However, as he'd made his way through the ranks of developmental, he'd learned more than just wrestling. He'd learned how to face his past and live with it, even embrace it.

Appearing genuinely interested she rested an elbow on the chair arm. "How did you grow up?"

"Poor," Dean replied as he delved deeper into his childhood. Memories of standing in line at the food bank, eating at the local homeless shelter and being teased at school because of his ratty clothing all came flooding back. "My folks were the definition of white trash. Dad didn't like to work and mom couldn't seem to hold a job because she was always drunk."

He paused to rub at the growing pain in his knee. "My brothers and I used to get teased and beat up in school because we'd wear holy and dirty clothes."

"That's terrible," Zoey murmured. "Children can be so cruel."

Dean nodded as he focused his attention on his knee, thankful for the distraction that put some distance between him and his emotions. "Yeah, but it made us tough and determined kids. We all swore never to end up like our folks."

"It looks like you achieved that goal," Zoey observed. "Did your brothers?"

Dean's heart broke just a little as he thought about Danny. "My younger brother Darren did. He's a cop. My older brother Danny wasn't as lucky."

A gentle hand came down over his and Dean looked up to find Zoey kneeling next to his chair. When in the hell had she moved? "What happened to Danny?" she asked, her voice nearly a whisper.

Sadness flowed through Dean as images of his brother being shot in a drive by; of Danny laying on the sidewalk, his blood trickling from his body into the nearby gutter filled his brain. It happened fifteen years prior, yet the pain was as fresh now as it had been then.

"Dean?" Zoey's sweet voice pulled him from his thoughts. "What happened?"

Dean closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath and took a moment to regain control of his emotions. "He-" Dean began then stopped when his voice cracked. _Damn! _He hated showing any kind of weakness. "He, um-" Dean swiped his free hand through his hair. Finally feeling a bit more settled he continued. "He fell in with a local gang and was killed in a drive by shooting. I was with him when it happened." He looked up and met her stare. "I was twelve."

The look on her face damn near made him want to cry. She hadn't been there and couldn't possibly know the agony he suffered, but somehow he could tell by her expression that she could feel his pain. "Poor little boy," she finally whispered.

He reached over and cradled her head in his hand, but before he could say anything the back door opened and a man wearing a mechanics uniform stepped out. "Hey, Zoey? Whose rental car is in the driveway?" He stopped mid-step and his eyes widened in shock. "Holy shit! You're Dean Ambrose."

Dean glanced from the man to Zoey who shot him a small smile then pulled back. "Dean this is Captain Obvious, better known as my brother Zane."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Zoey let out a yawn and glanced at the clock above the kitchen sink. It might only bet ten thirty at night, but she felt as if she'd been up for days. The moment Zane arrived home and realized Dean was there, he'd monopolized the entire evening, asking Dean questions about everything from who was his favorite wrestler of all time, to how Dean and Zoey had started dating.

That question had made her uncomfortable, but Dean simply plowed through it as if people had asked him that question a dozen times a day. She watched him in her peripheral vision as he currently talked with her brother about his knee injury and noted the dark circles under his eyes.

If she thought she'd had a long day, Dean must be dragging. After all he'd also flown today. "Zane," she finally interrupted.

Zane looked over at her "Yeah?"

"I'm exhausted. Dean's exhausted. He'll be here for a little while, so why don't we call it a night and you can talk with him some more tomorrow."

"Yeah." He leaned back in his chair. "I'm sure you're bushed," Zane said to Dean. He motioned to the den. "I'll just go check on mom. Why don't you help Dean upstairs?"

"That's a very good idea." Zoey pushed up from the table and waited for Dean to follow. They made their way through the house to the bottom of the steps. She glanced at the stairs then back to Dean. "How do you want to do this?"

"Just like this," he replied, then handed Zoey his crutches. She watched in awe as he used his good leg and the railing for support as hopped the steps one at a time until he reached the second floor.

She followed behind him up the steps. "I'm really sorry about this." Zoey handed the crutches back to him. "Unfortunately the only place down stairs you could sleep is in the den and well..."

Dean slid the crutch under his arm and grinned. "Stop apologizing. I'm the one who showed up unannounced so at this point if you wanted me to sleep in the bathtub I would."

His statement pulled a frown from her. "You're not sleeping in the bathtub." She turned and opened a door, flipped on the light and her frown deepened. "That's funny."

"What?"

"I thought Zane said he was going put your bags in his room."

"They're not there?"

She shook her head then closed the door and walked to the steps. "Zane!"

"Yeah?" he yelled up from the bottom of the stairs."

"Where did you put Dean's bags?"

"Your room," he grinned up at her.

"My room?" Zoey nearly choked. "Why did you put them in my room?"

He shrugged. "Where in the hell was I supposed to put them? Besides, don't you guys already share a bed on the road?"

His question jarred her and she closed her eyes as reality hit. _Hell! _This whole boyfriend angle was getting more complicated by the minute. "No…um. I mean, it's not that," she finally replied, knowing she was about to dig herself into quite a hole. She could practically feel Dean's gaze boring through her. "I just thought you'd said you were putting the bags in your room?"

"Why would I do that?" Zane shot back?

Her frustration began to build and she prayed for some control. "Never mind." She waved a hand at him, then turned back to face Dean. Just as she'd suspected he stood leaning on one crutch his attention on her and a smirk on his face.

She pointed a finger at him. "Don't say it." Then she stalked past him toward her room. How in the hell had she gotten herself into this position and more important, how was she going to get out of it?

"My lips are sealed," Dean chuckled as he hobbled down the hall after her.

"Doesn't sound like it," she grumbled as she opened the door and immediately spotted his bags on her bed. Her double bed was going to be awfully small with his big body lying next to her. She glanced back at him as he stopped behind her, then over his shoulder to her mother's bedroom door.

Putting him in her mother's room was out of the question. It would simply be too weird considering the situation. However, she could give him her room and sleep in her mother's room. It would solve the problem and she could use the bed being too small as her excuse. So why did that idea sound so unappealing?

She looked back to her room. In all the years she'd lived in this house not once has she ever had a boy in her room, let alone in her bed. Was it appropriate for her to do so now? She was twenty-five years old and had long since lost her virginity, so that wasn't an issue. Still, at what point, if any, was it okay for her to have a man in her childhood bed?

"You're thinking awful hard about this, baby," Dean inched in closer and brushed a soft kiss along the nape of her neck. "Does the idea of sharing a bed with me really sound so bad?"

The feel of his lips against her flesh sent shivers racing down her spine and her imagination spinning out of control. If she crawled beneath the sheets with him she knew where it would lead. Just the mere idea of them making love had her body tightening in anticipation. It had been so long since she'd experienced those type of pleasures that her libido now screamed for sweet mercy. She leaned back against him and closed her eyes. "Actually, it's just the opposite," she finally admitted.

"And you're frightened by that realization?" he nibbled along her flesh and then nipped at her earlobe.

Her knees nearly buckled and she couldn't contain the gasp that escaped as she reached out and grabbed the wall for support. "Yes," she replied, ashamed by her inability to hide her need. Only a few short weeks ago she'd known him only by name and now she was actually toying with the idea of allowing him into her body. What in the hell was wrong with her?

His kisses ceased and she knew the moment he stepped back as she felt the cool air against her back and disappointment in her heart . "Zoey, look at me." His ordered, his voice low, commanding and serious.

Slowly she turned, opened her eyes and faced him. She'd expected to see an expression of anger or hurt, instead she found understanding and dare she say love? He brushed a knuckle along her cheek. "I'll admit that I'd love nothing more than to ravage you in that tiny bed, until you scream my name to the heavens."

His words sent heat racing through her as her mind pictured him doing just that. As if he knew what she was thinking, he grinned. "However, I'm not a barbarian and I'd never force myself on you. Besides, with this bum knee I can't do much of anything."

Leaning on his crutch he closed the distance and lowered his head. A slow mischievous grin engulfed his face as he stared down at her. "Just for the record...I'm not above being seduced, though." His lips brushed across hers, barely a touch. "So if at any time you feel the urge to ravage me-" His tongue darted out and licked across her bottom lip, in a gesture so erotic it nearly snapped her control. "Please feel free to take whatever you want."

He pulled back and his smile widened. "The ball is entirely in your court, baby."

Then, he turned back, grabbed his crutch and hobbled past her into the room. Her heart pounded against her chest, blood whooshed in her ears and damn if her panties weren't wet. She walked in behind him and closed the door. She was so toast.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Zoey picked Dean's bags up and moved them to the window seat, then turned back to find him easing down onto the side of the bed. The grimace he made told her that despite his playful banter and lack of complaining his knee did indeed hurt.

"You overdid it today," she mumbled as she walked toward him.

"I'm fine," he replied and set the crutches aside, then grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled it up over his head. She tried not to look, she really did, but knowing it was inevitable she looked up and was treated to an up close and absolutely exquisite view of his physique. Smooth, slightly tanned skin covered well defined pecks and slightly lesser defined, but still sexy as hell abs. Broad shoulders led to muscular biceps, toned forearms and large capable hands. Her mind reeled as her imagination kicked into gear, and she thought about all the wonderfully wicked things those hands might do.

Like a runaway locomotive desire rolled through her, leaving heat and unspeakable need in its wake. He looked up, stopped and arched a brow, but didn't utter a word. For several long seconds she said nothing as she worked to regain control of her wayward libido. "Um..." She turned away and walked over to the closet. "Do you need a pillow or two for your knee?"

"No," he replied his voice tight and clipped. The tone led her to believe she'd somehow made him angry, but he'd said the ball was in her court. He had no right to be made at her. Still, the last thing she wanted was to make him angry or hurt his feelings in any way.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This situation was moving too fast and she desperately needed to slow it down. "Weren't you ordered to keep it elevated? I know you haven't done that today." She pulled two extra pillows from the top of her closet. "You should probably-" She turned to face him and stopped mid-sentence.

Standing on one leg and a crutch he struggled to remove his jeans. The muscles in his back rippled as he worked to keep his balance while pushing at the denim. Worried he'd injure himself further she dropped the pillows on the bed and rushed around to face him. She stopped mere inches in front of him, causing Dean to pause. "Let me help."

With a nod, he regained his balance and stood stock still as she reached for the top of his jeans. Her fingers grazed over his flesh and she felt the immediate spark all the way to her toes. Dear God, could she do this without allowing it to go further?

Slowly...much slower than probably necessary, she eased the fabric over his hips. So he was a boxer brief guy. Her audible swallow broke the silence as she continued with her task, pulling the jeans lower and lower and lower still until they pooled around his ankles.

He eased back down to the bed the same time Zoey dropped to her knees. He lifted first one foot then the other and she finished divesting him of his pants. Leaving the jeans lay, she turned her attention to his knee. Swollen twice the size as the opposite knee it just looked painful. "Where's your brace?"

"It wouldn't fit under my jeans," he replied. "I meant to wrap it, but I was running behind this morning."

"It needs wrapped and ice," she replied as she leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to the injury. Somehow he'd managed to put his pain aside for her. It was a sweet and extremely stupid thing to do. She pressed a second kiss to his knee, turned her head and for the first time realized her proximity to other more interesting body parts.

Her attention focused on the massive erection barely hidden behind a cotton barrier, then slowly trekked up to Dean's face. With desire in his eyes he reached out and brushed a knuckle along her jaw. He wanted her. That fact alone had her libido jumping up and down, wildly waving its arms in anticipation.

While the reasons against her acting on her desire stacked high, her reasons for continuing grew even higher. Not only would making love to him provide her with a brief distraction and pleasure from her otherwise bleak life, it would sate the basal need building inside. More important than any reason she could think of was one overwhelming fact...she cared about him. She couldn't think of anyone with witch she'd rather share such an intimate, sensual experience.

The facts remained that there wasn't any way she could share a bed with him for days and not take their relationship to the next level; not when she felt as she did about him. Why wait? Why torture both of them? They were adults and knew exactly what they were doing.

Before she could change her mind she leaned forward and brushed a kiss on the inside of his thigh, then another just a bit higher. Her heart sped up as she inched closer to her prize. "Zoey," Dean's voice rumbled and she looked up to find concern and desire warring in his eyes. "You don't have to do this, baby. No pressure. I promise."

Her heart swelled as she smiled up at him. "I know." With a free hand she cupped him and noted his quick intake of breath. "I want to."

That crooked, slightly crazy grin he'd perfected appeared. "We'll far be it for me to deny my girl what she wants."

He'd called her his girl. She hadn't missed his use of words. With joy in her heart she shifted, hooked her fingers in his underwear and pulled. Helping her, he lifted his hips and she stripped him of his remaining clothing. _Good God!_ The man was absolutely beautiful.

Tentatively she reached out, wrapped her fingers around him and heard his intake of breath. Her first stroke up pulled a low moan. The second had him lifting his hips off the bed, silently begging for more. She didn't have a whole lot of experience with more, but determined to give him pleasure she leaned forward and guided him between her parted lips.

"God, Zoey," his hand speared through her hair, his fingers tightening. "Oh fuck yeah, baby."

Encouraged by his reaction she took him deeper, enjoying the unique flavor that was distinctly Dean. Gauging his reactions and adjusting accordingly, she stroked and sucked until he writhed beneath her. "Zoey stop," he finally gasped, his fingers tightened against her scalp.

Confused, she pulled away and looked up. "Why? Was I doing something wrong?"

His eyes widened as he reached for her. "Oh no, baby. You were doing everything right and I wasn't gonna last if you kept it up."

"Oh." She nearly blushed.

He pulled her against him and took her mouth in a scalding kiss that left her dizzy with need. "Undress for me, baby." He mouthed soft kisses along her jaw. "Let me see that gorgeous little body." His lips trailed up to her ear. "I want to see you, to feel you, to taste you." He bit down on her earlobe and she nearly came on the spot.

Not needing to be asked twice, she pulled away, stood, and slowly undressed. Butterflies filled her stomach as her bra fell away and her panties hit the floor, leaving her feeling completely exposed. His hot gaze raked over her, taking his time, a look of appreciation on his face. "You are so damn beautiful." He snagged her by the hip and pulled her against him.

His gentle hands cupped her breasts the feeling of his large calloused fingers against her sensitive skin sent her reeling. Whatever doubts she'd had remained no longer as he raked a thumb across her nipple. "You are so perfect," he said then leaned up to swipe his tongue across her breast.

Scrambling for purchase she reached out and grabbed his shoulders, digging her fingers into his flesh. "Dean."

"Yeah, baby?" he asked as he switch from one breast to the other.

"I need you," she gasped for breath.

"You have me," he replied.

"I can't wait," she replied as a sudden, all-encompassing need swamped her. "I need to feel you inside me, now."

Dean took one last swipe at her breast then leaned back on the bed and grinned up at her. "Then take what you need. Ride me, Zoey."

She climbed onto the bed, straddled him and slowly eased down making them one.

Dean sucked in a breath through clenched teeth and his fingers dug into her hips as she groaned as the incredible feel of finally having him inside her. "You're so big," she gasped as she struggled to accommodate him.

His grin widened. "I fit."

"Yes, you do," she replied as she slowly began to move. "And it feels amazing."

The tightness and the friction of their joining created a not so familiar burn low in her belly. It was an addictive feeling that she wanted to experience again and again. Up and down she worked him until they both panted, their bodies twisting and turning, coiling with the need for release.

Months of pent up emotions bubbled to the surface and threatened to escape. She'd tried so hard to keep them in check, but feeling that joy of release would require relinquishing control. It meant facing all those feelings head on. Tears welled and a lump formed in her throat as she fought to maintain a grip. It was a losing battle. She simply couldn't reach her release without also feeling the pain. "Dean," she sobbed as her body began to throb.

"That's it baby. Let go," he encouraged. "I've got you."

On his words her body splintered and she bit down on her lip to keep from screaming as she fell over the peak. Tears streamed down her cheeks even as pleasure flooded through her body.

Beneath her he went rigid and his fingers dug into her hips as groaned. A moment later she felt the heat of his release deep inside..

Her arms were spaghetti and she leaned forward, resting against his chest as she struggled to regulate her breathing even as the tears continued to flow.

He stroked a hand along her back and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. A gentle, reassuring touch that told her he cared.

"I'm sorry," she choked on a sob. "This really was amazing...I'm just..."

"I know," he replied as he held her. "It's okay. Let it out, baby. I've got you."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Dean sat across from Zane and stared out over the lush back yard. The back deck of their house was quickly becoming his favorite place to hang. "You know, I'm really glad you showed up," Zane said before he took a sip of his beer.

"Yeah?" Dean mimicked his action.

Zane nodded. "Since you arrived Zoey seems more settled...happier, despite what's going on with mom. Having you here is good for her."

Dean studied the label on his beer bottle as memories of the last few nights flooded his mind. She'd cried that first night they'd made love. Unable to make her pain go away, he'd simply held her while she purged. With all the pressure she'd been under it didn't take a genius to figure out that she'd needed an emotional release and as it turned out sex had been her trigger.

The experience certainly hadn't been easy on her, but the fact that she'd trusted him enough to let go meant more to him than she'd ever know. "You're sister is a strong woman," he finally said.

"I know." Zane nodded. "She's always been emotionally strong, sometimes to her detriment."

Dean arched a brow. "How so?"

"She won't lean on anyone...won't let anyone in." He turned his attention toward the woods beyond the yard. "Personally, I think she's afraid of ended up like our mom."

Confused, Dean couldn't help but frown. "I'm sorry, I don't follow. You're mom seems like a great woman. Why wouldn't Zoey want to be like her?"

"Mom is a great woman," Zane agreed. "But she wears her emotions on her sleeve. She's spent years pining away after my father." He frowned. "I was a toddler when Dad died. Zoey was barely old enough to remember him, but she did remember what his death did to mom." He shifted in his seat as if he were suddenly uncomfortable with the conversation. "From what I understand mom just lost it. She lost weight and didn't get out of bed for weeks. Our grandparents took care of us for awhile until she was able to work through most of her grief."

He turned his attention back to the house. "She never remarried, never even dated anyone in the twenty years since his death. She always said that there would never be another man for her." His attention shifted back to Dean. "This is just my opinion, of course, but I think Zoey is afraid of ending up like mom, so she keeps everyone at arms length in order to protect her feelings."

"Better to keep a barrier between the world and her emotions than to risk feeling?" Dean observed.

Zane nodded. "Exactly. Actually, I was a bit surprised to learn she even had a boyfriend and even more impressed that you've managed to reach her emotionally. She's one tough cookie."

That evening, after dinner Dean picked his plate up and carried it to the kitchen. Zane's words played in his head all day and he'd seriously considered his relationship with Zoey. He'd all but forced his way into her life and into her bed. After talking with Zane Dean wondered if he would have ever made it to this position with Zoey if he hadn't. One thing he knew for sure...now that he was here, he wouldn't relinquish what he'd gained without a fight.

The little redhead was so sweet and caring and a little firecracker in bed, how could he not come to care about her? If Zane was right about his sister, Dean simply needed to work harder to break down her walls. One thing he had realized, while he might now be sleeping with her, he knew very little about the woman who seemed to be capturing his heart.

He walked through the kitchen door and found Zoey at the sink rinsing off dishes and placing them in the dishwasher. "Hey, what do you say we go for a little walk?"

She glanced over at him as she placed another plate in the rack and frowned. "What about your knee?"

"My knee needs a little exercise," he replied. "After four days on crutches it will do me some good to use it again."

She straightened and glanced out the window. "Well okay, but I don't want to be away from mom for too long."

As they started their slow trek around the neighborhood Dean reached for her hand. It might have been a simple gesture, but it made him feel closer, more connected with her. "So," he began. "What did you do before you started wrestling?"

She shrugged. "Went to school. Worked. The same stuff most people do."

Dean rolled his eye. Okay so she wasn't going to make this easy either. "Where did you go to school?" If she was going to be evasive he was going to get right to the point.

She tucked her hair behind her ear and glanced up at him. "Why?"

He gave her question an exasperated sigh and pulled her to a stop. "Sweetheart, it's not polite to answer a question with a question, but to answer your question, I'm curious. I want to get to know you better."

Her mouth formed an 'Oh' as she looked at him.

Her reaction pulled a grin from him. "Let's try this again." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "You went to college?"

She nodded. "I majored in communications and minored in journalism."

Ah! Now he was making some progress. He turned and began to walk. "So how in the world did you end up wrestling?"

"By accident," she replied. He waited for her to continue, then looked over to find her sneaking a peek at him. "Guess I need to expand on that statement huh?"

He grinned.

"Okay," she sighed. "So I was doing some light modeling to help off-set some of my college expenses."

He could totally see her as a model. "You modeled?"

"Well, nothing like the big Victoria's Secret model stuff. More like the local wal-mart circular modeling, but the money was decent." She motioned for them to turn right at the corner. "I was at a modeling audition not long after mom was diagnosed. Only it wasn't modeling, it was a rep from the WWE recruiting models for the Diva's division." She stopped at the sign looked both ways and they crossed the street then she continued.

"I wasn't really interested in becoming a wrestler, but the recruiter said I could make good money. With all my college loans and expense I knew would crop up from mom's cancer I knew I needed to make as much as possible." She shrugged. "So I signed up."

"If you had a degree why didn't you get a job into journalism?"

"I tried," she replied and he noted the sadness in her voice. "Most of the places I applied wanted me to intern first. Knowing what was coming with mom's illness I just couldn't work for free. So-" She glanced up at him. "I became a wrestler."

Finding out she didn't love wrestling the way he did was a bit disheartening, but he didn't want to ruin the moment when she was just starting to open up. "Why do I get the feeling you're not all that happy about your decision?"

She paused and looked up at him and a small smile claimed her face. "I'll admit that I'm not thrilled with the job, but if it wasn't for wrestling I wouldn't have met you."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

She couldn't sleep. Zoey stared into the dark and listened to Dean's steady breathing as he slept peacefully next to her. Having him here meant so much, yet frightened her beyond reason. It wasn't fear of him directly, but more so fear of what his presence represented. Every night since he'd arrived they'd made love and every day he pushed her to talk. While the sex was a great release, it was also intimate and represented something deeper than just pleasure. Combined with his constant, yet subtle push to get to know her better and he'd managed to infringe on territory she'd always fiercely protected.

She glanced over at him. His shadowy figure didn't move in the tiny bed. He'd been so caring, so gentle since he'd arrived, yet demanding in his desire for information. Every time he grilled her for more information she not only gave it along with a little piece of her heart. Without realizing it, she'd told him more about herself that anyone except her family knew.

Careful not to wake him, she climbed from the bed, grabbed her robe and headed downstairs. She hadn't asked for him to come, but the moment she set eyes on him she hadn't wanted him to leave. After trying so hard to protect her heart how in the hell could she have so easily fallen for him?

Worse yet, how was she going to get out of this relationship without hurting either of them? Eventually, he'd leave. Eventually they all left. Even her mother, while a reluctant passenger on that one way train, would be departing shortly never to return again.

Tears well and her nose burned as years of loss began to weigh on her chest. Her father had gone when she was so little she could barely remember him. Then one by one her grandparents had passed, her favorite Uncle had died in a fiery car crash and now her mom would be leaving too. Seven people had exited her life in the last twenty years and that count didn't include the flurry of boyfriends she'd had in school.

She tiptoed down the hallway, checked in on her mom, who appeared to be sleeping so peacefully Zoey moved in for a closer look. Fear crept up her spine as studied her mother's figure. For several moments she watched, relieved when her mother finally took a long, slow breath. _Thank God! _ The evil hand of death hadn't taken her away just yet.

Not wanting to wake the dying woman she crept from the room and headed for the breakfast nook where they'd moved the computer from the den. As she waited for the machine to boot, her attention drifted out the window into the darkness beyond.

Her thoughts turned back to her high school days and that desperate, overwhelming need to fill the void in her heart. After her Uncle had died such a sudden and violent death she'd turned to boys to help fill the empty space his death left. Only, she quickly learned that teenage boys wanted one thing. They weren't interested in talking about feelings, or getting to know who she was inside. Every conversation, every date seemed to lead back to sex.

Desperate to please, she'd given them what they wanted and each one eventually tossed her aside, leaving her heartbroken. To this day she wasn't sure when she'd made the decision to close her heart away from everyone, but it definitely happened. Now she was in danger of having it broken yet again.

The screen flickered to life and Zoey navigated through the files until she pulled up the one she'd wanted. She watched as a slightly younger version of herself presented fictional news from behind a broadcast table.

The moment she'd hit college she made the decision to become a journalist. Telling others about daily events in the world made her feel important...special. The news was reliable in that there was always something new to talk about. Granted most of the events were sad or worrisome tales of murder, rape, death and such, but someone had to talk about it, right?

Pushing the male species aside, she'd focused all her efforts on being the best student and the best journalist she could be.

The video ended and she clicked on another of her doing a live event report. As she watched it she wondered just where she'd gone off track? Her lips pursed as the answer smacked her in the face, leaving it's invisible mark. Her mother was the reason she'd not pursued her dreams.

Knowing the financial toll the cancer would bring, she'd done what she'd needed to in order to keep her mother in her own home. The roof needed repaired, the walls widened for wheelchair access, the downstairs bathroom modified and a handicap ramp built. Those things cost money. So they'd mortgaged the house and she'd taken on the burden of making sure that mortgage got paid.

After their mother passed, she'd have to sit down with Zane and decide what to do with the house. It seemed wrong to sell the only place she'd ever lived, but did she want to stay? If she sold the house she'd once again be free to pursue her dream. Only now she faced a new complication...what to do about Dean?

Dean opened his eyes. Something wasn't quite right, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what. He waited and listened. It was quiet...too quiet. He turned in the tiny bed and reached for Zoey only to find her side empty. He sat up and scrubbed a hand over his face as he stared at the blank space next to him. Had he woke because somehow he knew she was gone? The more he pondered that question, the more he became convinced that was the answer.

How strange was it that he could go years sleeping alone, but after only a week of sleeping with Zoey he already missed her not being there? Wondering where she'd gone and worrying that her mother had taking a final turn, he quickly donned a pair of jeans and made his way down stairs.

Funny, he considered as he braced his knee with his hand, how easy would it be for him to get used to living in a place like this? Growing up he'd dreamed of living in a house half this size. Just a small, clean, safe place, in a nice neighborhood, where he could have his own bedroom and a grassy yard to play with a dog. Instead, his yard had been the local playground and his bedroom a dirty mattress in the corner of the living room he'd shared with his brother.

As hard as those days were, he wouldn't change a thing. Wrong, he'd change one thing. He would have tried to do something to save Danny's life...to keep him from that gang. But otherwise? No, as horrible as that life was, it had made him who he was today. It made him more appreciative of what he had and what he could have. That terrible, vile life made him a better adult.

Flickering shadows danced off the wall in the formal living room. Curious, he walked toward it, then turned to look through the french doors into the area they called the breakfast nook. There he found Zoey in front of the computer. She appeared to be watching a video of some sort. Not wanting to interrupt her he leaned against the doorframe and watched. It took only a moment for him to realize the woman in the video was Zoey and she appeared to be reporting the news.

A small grin tipped his lips as he watched the woman on the screen portray a confidence and passion he'd yet to see from her. She was good...damn good, actually. Much too talented to be wasting her time wrestling. Slowly, he backed out of the room, turned and headed up stairs. There had to be a way for him to help her reach her dream.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Deanwoke to pounding on the bedroom door. "Zoey," Zane's panicked voice carried through the wood. "Zoey wake up!" Before Deancould pull himself from the bed Zoey was already on her feet rushing for the door. She flung it open to reveal Zane standing on the other side, a pained expression on his face.

He didn't have to say anything for them to know why he'd woke them in the wee hours of the morning. Without waiting for Dean she pushed past Zane and raced down stairs. Zane glanced at Dean then turned to follow Zoey. For a moment Dean sat in place as dread filled his heart. They'd all known the moment was coming, but knowing and preparing for it, didn't make the experience any easier when it finally happened.

Attempting to give them some private time, he slowly climbed from the bed, pulled on his jeans and made his way down the steps. This simply wasn't fair. While he didn't know Sara well, he'd enjoyed spending the last two weeks getting to know the dying woman and desperately wished he would have had the chance to know her better. From what little time he'd spent with her, he knew she was probably more like the mother he'd always wished he had. Zoey and Zane were lucky to have such a wonderful, caring person in their lives and it wasn't right that they were about to lose that person. There were times, like now, when he felt the impact of life's injustice head on.

Knowing he couldn't avoid it any longer, Dean stopped in the den's doorway and watched the scene playing out before him. Zane and Zoey hovered over their mother's bed while the nurse Heather stood off to the side.

Sara had slipped into a coma early the previous evening and they'd known at that point it was only a matter of hours until the Grim Reaper came knocking. Sitting on a death watch wouldn't have been good for Zoey so Dean and Zane forced her to go on to bed. Now it was time for Dean to stand back and give the family their last few minutes together.

Sara's ragged breathing filled the silence, the rattle in her chest, an apparent tell-tale sign that death was near, echoed through the room like an ominous dirge. Zoey held her mother's hand and tears trickled down her cheeks as she spoke. "I love you, mom. It's okay for you to let go now." She glanced up at Zane who also had tears in his eyes.

"Dad's waiting for you," Zane added as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Sara's forehead. "Zoey and I have each other. We'll be fine. Rest now. You've earned it."

"Zane's right," Zoey nearly sobbed. "You don't have to stay for us. We're fine. We'll look out for each other. Please...we don't want you to suffer anymore."

Over the next few minutes Sara's breaths grew shallow and farther apart. Several times Dean thought the woman had passed only to have her take another desperate breath.

The strained look of sorrow on Zoey's face tore at him. He'd spent the last year being the purveyor of justice, righting the fictional wrongs within the WWE, yet in real life, when it really counted he was just as helpless as everyone else.

Sara appeared to take one last final breath. Then there was nothing. One minute passed, then another. Finally Heather moved in to check for a pulse. Dean's attention followed her fingers as she pressed it to the woman's skin, then he focused on her face. She looked at Zoey and Zane and shook her head.

Zane lowered his head and wept openly, while Zoey sat stoic in the chair, staring down at her mother. Tears streamed over her cheeks, but she didn't utter a word. She lifted Sara's hand to her lips, pressed a kiss to the back and returned it to her mother's side. Heather stepped out of the room and whispered. "I'm going to make the necessary calls. Keep an eye on them."

Dean gave a nod and turned his attention back to Zoey and Zane. They'd both had time to prepare for this, but that didn't mean that they both didn't need some time to grieve.

Several long minutes passed before Zoey took a deep breath, stood and slowly made her way out of the room. He waited in place, his attention on her as she approached. She glanced at him, then walked past and right out the back door. Worried, but wanting to give her the space she needed, Dean followed. He paused just outside the door and watched as she stopped at the end of the deck to stare off into the distance. Birds chirped, signaling the start to the day as the early morning light slowly appeared from behind the trees and engulfed the sky. Despite this family's personal tragedy the world continued to spin and life moved forward to face another day.

After several long minutes he approached. "Baby? You okay?"

She nodded, but didn't turn to look at him. Instead her fingers curled around the railing, her knuckles turning white with the pressure. Daring to close the distance between them he moved in behind her and began rubbing his hands over her shoulders. He pressed a gentle kiss against her hair. "I'm so sorry."

"I know," she whispered, but still refused to look at him. Her rigid body rebuffed his attempt at comfort and his heart broke just a little more. His entire reason for staying was to offer her comfort in her time of need. Why wouldn't she accept it?

"You know," he ventured. "It's alright to cry."

Within seconds of his statement, her shoulders began to shake and she finally turned to him as the sobs began in earnest. Desperate to give her his strength and take away her pain, he wrapped his arms around her. She buried her face against his chest and cried.

Memories of his brother flooded his mind and his feeling of loss increased as he held her. He knew the pain she felt and knew it would never really go away. Eventually though, she'd learn to live with it and move on. Until then he could only hope she'd allow him to be there to help pick up the pieces.

"I feel so guilty," she finally murmured against his chest.

Guilty? That certainly wasn't what he expected her to say. "Why?"

"Because," She pulled back and looked up at him. "While I'm heartbroken she's gone, I'm also relieved. Knowing she's gone hurts like hell, but I'm so thankful it's over. God," she sobbed. "I'm such a horrible person."

He ventured a smile as he once again pulled her to him. "No you're not, baby. Your reaction is normal."

"Right, it's normal to be thankful someone has died," she replied.

He pushed her to arms-length and cupped her cheek. "We both know you're not thankful she'd gone. You're thankful she's finally out of pain."

She nodded. "There is that, but I'm also thankful that my pain now ends too. That's why I feel guilty."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Dean waited with his arm around Zoey as Zane unlocked the door. Exhaustion filtered through his system and he tried to stifle a yawn. The last few days were a blur with the viewing, then the funeral service, dozens of faces he'd never remember had passed through the home giving Zoey and Zane their condolences.

Just when he thought it was finally over they'd attended the official reading of the will today. He'd been surprised by her Aunt Rita's reaction at only being left some antique chest. She'd all but stormed out of the room, leaving Zoey's disables Uncle Walt to hobble his way out alone.

Despite the drama, Zoey remained stoic.

He glanced at her as she waited with her head against his shoulder. Much to his surprise, she'd turned to him when she'd needed support. He only hoped now that her emotional upheaval was over she wouldn't shut him out again.

Zane opened the door and motioned for them to head inside. Zoey let out a heavy sigh. "I think I'm going to go lay down for a little while."

Dean kissed her forehead before she pulled away. "Do you want company?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm so tired. I'm just gonna take a nap."

"Okay." He released her. "But if you need me, yell."

She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. "I will." Then she turned and headed up the steps, leaving Dean standing in the foyer alone. He waited until he heard the soft snick of her bedroom door closing, then walked to the family room in the back of the house. That's where he found Zane sitting on the couch, knees on elbows, shoulders down, and his head hanging forward. Carla sat next to him, rubbing a hand along his back.

"You okay?" Dean asked as he settled into the recliner.

Zane looked up and nodded. "Yeah...I will be. It's just been a rough few days."

"Sounds more to me like it's been a rough few months for you," Dean observed.

Zane nodded a second time. "Yeah, I guess it has." He sighed. "And it's not quite over yet."

Dean felt his brow crease as he looked at Zane. A slow feeling of impending doom began to build. "What do you mean?"

"I have more bad news to break to Zoey and I don't know how to tell her."

_Hell!_ "What would that be?"

Zane glanced at Carla then looked over to Dean. "While I've been working to pay the utilities here, so mom could stay in her own home, Carla has been working to put money away for us to use on a down payment for a house."

"A House?" Dean frowned as the scenario slowly began to form. "You're moving out?"

Zane stared at him for a moment, before nodding. "I know Zoey would rather me stay here and take care of the house while she's on the road, but Carla and I are planning to get married and start a family." He shook his head. "I can't do that here, when it's not my house."

"I doubt Zoey would have issue with putting your name on the mortgage," Dean argued. While Zoey still hadn't quite decided what she was going to do with the house, he certainly didn't want her decision tainted by Zane's actions.

Zane smiled. "I know she would, but it's not the same as me owning my own place." His gaze drifted around the room. "It's a wonderful house and it means a lot to me, but there are too many memories of mom here. As long as I stay I'll never truly feel like it's my place."

So Zoey was going to end up strapped to a mortgage alone. Would she sell the place so she could live out her dream? Would she continue on working for the WWE so she could make ends meet? Maybe he could help make life a little easier. He narrowed his gaze on Zane. "Before you drop this bomb on your sister I need you to do me a favor."

"Sure. Name it."

Ten minutes later Dean sat in front of the computer typing an email to Hunter from his personal email account. Thanks to Zane he now had access to everything he needed.

_Hunter,_

_I'm hoping you can do me a favor. While we both know that Zoey is a great wrestler, we also both know that her heart just isn't in it. She has a college degree in communications and journalism. With all of your contacts, do you know anyone who might be willing to give her an opportunity to fulfill her dream? I'm attaching a couple videos she'd done in college that display her talent behind the microphone and her resume for review._

_Anything you can do to help make her dreams come true would be greatly appreciated. Call me if you want to discuss further._

_Dean_

_He attached the files then hit send. Being a corporate executive, Hunter knew a lot more people in show business than Dean could ever dream of knowing. Maybe he could help Zoey get a foot in the door._

He closed out of the mail account and noticed an icon on the screen marked mortgage. Making sure he was still alone, Dean glanced over his shoulder, then curious, he clicked on the icon. A spreadsheet opened and he studied the numbers. Turns out, she didn't owe as much on the house as he'd expected. The original loan had been for fifty thousand and in the two years since the loan origination she'd paid just a little over ten grand.

Dean pursed his lips as his mind turned the information over, analyzing. He'd been saving for years and had the money to pay off her mortgage. If he did, that would also take another burden off her shoulders. Without that obligation hanging over her, she'd be free to do what she wanted, not what she thought was the right thing.

He found a pen and paper and scribbled down all the information he thought he would need, then quickly closed out the file and shutdown the computer. Everything he was doing would probably take her away from him. That thought made his heart hurt, but didn't deter him from his task. He loved her and he'd do damn near anything to ensure her happiness, no matter what that might be.

An hour later, Dean sat on the back deck waiting for Zoey to wake when his cell phone began to ring. Special ops blasted through the tiny speaker and he pulled the phone from his pocket to find Hunter's number displayed on the screen.

"Hey," Dean answered.

"Dean. How goes things with Zoey?" Hunter asked.

"Her mom passed a couple of days ago. The funeral was yesterday."

"Damn, I'm sorry to hear that," Hunter replied. "How's she holding up?"

"Good considering everything she's been through." Dean glanced up at the second story window that he knew was her bedroom. "She's got one of the strongest personalities I've ever encountered."

"Giving you a run for your money?"

The amusement in Hunter's tone caused Dean to grin. "She's definitely a challenge, but in a good way."

"Sounds like you might well and truly be hooked."

Dean thought back on the last couple of weeks. It certainly hadn't taken long for him to fall hard for the little redhead. "Yeah, I suppose I am."

"So you want to explain this e-mail I received?"

Dean pushed up from his chair and walked to the end of the deck. The last thing he wanted was for Zoey to walk into his conversation with Hunter. "Did you watch the videos?"

"I did."

His heart sped up as he stepped off the deck. "What do you think?"

"I think she's damn good, but what does it have to do with wrestling?"

Frustrated by Hunter's question Dean descended the steps into the yard and began walking toward the woods. "It doesn't have a damn thing to do with wrestling," he countered. "Why does everything have to be about wrestling?"

"You know why, Dean. That's what we do. It's who we are."

"Yes, but you know people. You have contacts. I want you to use those contacts to get her a job."

"She has a job...as a wrestler," Hunter countered.

"Which we both know that while she's good at it, she hates it." He raked his free hand through his hair as he glanced back at the house. "Come on, Hunter. For once can't corporate do what's right, even if it doesn't benefit them somehow?"

A long uncomfortable silence fell between them and Dean's hopes began to fade. Maybe Hunter wasn't the person he thought.

"You know if I help find her a journalism job I'll have to release her from her wrestling contract."

Hunter's words cause his hope to once again climb. "I know."

"If you two are now a couple, wouldn't you rather have her around?"

Dean closed his eyes as he struggled to find the words. Yes, he wanted her around, but even more he wanted her happy. "You know that old saying that if you love something then set it free?"

"Yeah?"

"I love her, Hunter. She's not happy wrestling and I want her to be happy. Even if that means I have to let her go."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Dean stood in front of the door, his bag at the base of the steps as he held Zoey. It felt so good having her arms around his neck, her body pressed to his, he hated that he was about to let her go.

"I can't believe you have to go back already," she whispered against his ear.

Strangely enough, the sorrow in her voice gave him comfort. A telltale sign that she did in fact care about him. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "It's been three weeks, baby. If I want to get back to work anytime soon, I have to start rehabbing."

She sighed. "I know. It's just...well-" She lifted her head and looked at him. "I liked waking up in your arms. I'm going to miss you."

"It's only for a couple more weeks until you get everything settled here," Dean replied, despite knowing better. Her body language combined with the sadness in her voice lead him to believe this goodbye was probably more than temporary. Despite his observation he wasn't going to taint this moment by speaking his mind. If this goodbye, based on the pretense of her later return was easier for her, then so be it. "I have a solo room on the road so it won't be a problem for you to start waking up in my arm again real soon."

She smiled, but he noted how it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'd really like that."

"Me too." He lowered his head and took her lips in yet another kiss." God, he couldn't get enough of her. What in the hell was he going to do on the road without her?

This time when he pulled back, tears welled in her eyes. "You better go. You're going to miss your flight."

Knowing she was right, he nodded. "If you need anything, even if it's just to talk..."

She nodded. "I know."

Breaking his hold on her was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. Somehow he found the strength he needed to do just that and slowly pulled away. She opened the door and he picked up his bags then stepped onto the front step. When he turned back to her he found tears trickling down her cheeks. "I thought we agreed, no crying."

She shot him a small watery smile. "What can I say? I'm such a girl."

He set his bags down and stepped back into her embrace. "Don't baby. I'm not worth crying over," he whispered, as he brushed a soft kiss over her cheeks, tasting the salt of her tears.

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong," she replied as she hugged him.

His heart shattered as he stood there in the morning light, holding her his arms. With the exception of his brother, never in his life had saying goodbye been this hard. "Hey," he pulled back and looked down at her. "I love you, baby, and all I want for you is to be happy, okay?"

Her eyes widened and welled yet again, as a fresh batch of tears began to flow. It only took a moment for him to realize his mistake. How in the hell could he have told her he loved her now as he was leaving? _Nice job Ambrose. Way to drop the guilt directly on her shoulders_. The last thing he'd wanted was to sway her decisions with their relationship baggage. Whatever she'd decided to do with her life he'd wanted it to be earnest and from her heart.

"I have to go," he said before he had the chance to shove his foot farther in his mouth. He leaned over, grabbed his bags, and slowly backed away. "Remember, if you need anything call, okay?"

She nodded as she wrapped her arms around her midsection, as if she were attempting to comfort herself. He walked to his rental car, tossed his bags into the back and climbed behind the wheel. When he started the engine he glanced up to find her still there in the same position, with prominent tears streaming down her face. God he hated this...hated himself for what he was doing to her. She'd been through so much grief in the last few weeks, and here he was inflicting it on her yet again.

Guilt spear him in the gut as he put the car in gear and backed out of the driveway, turned and headed up the road away from the house. This time he didn't look back. He couldn't, because no matter how much this hurt them both, it was the right thing to do, and right now his resolve was starting to crumble. If he saw her again, he might just bail on the whole damn plan. It was bad enough that the image of her crying would forever be burned into his dreams. The last thing he needed was to live with the guilt of knowing he'd screwed up her life because he'd put his own needs before hers.

Long after his car disappeared in the distanced Zoey remained frozen on the step staring at the empty space he'd left in his wake. He'd said he loved her, yet he'd left anyway. _I love you, baby_. The words echoed in her head and filled her heart with both joy and sorrow.

"Zoey?"

She turned to find Zane standing in the open doorway, a look of concern plastered across his face. "You okay?" he asked.

For the first time ever she went to him, desperate for support. Giant sobs wracked her body as she collapsed in his arms. How was it that in a matter of only a few short weeks her life had gone from okay to complete devastation? His arms came around her and he pressed a hand to her hair. "Shhh...I've got you, sissy. It will be okay."

"He's gone," she murmured against Zane's shoulder. "And he's not coming back."

Zane positioned himself against her side and slowly walked her inside. "He had to go back to work. You'll join him in a few weeks."

She looked up at her brother through watery eyes. "That's just it, I don't know if I will."

"Why?" His lips turned down into a frown. "You have to go back to work."

With the back of her hand she wiped at her tears and shook her head. "Not necessarily back to _that_ work though."

"But I thought?" A confused expression filled his face.

She stepped away and took his hand in hers. "We need to talk."

Two hours later Zoey collapsed onto her bed. Despite it still being before noon, exhaustion pumped through her veins. Knowing Dean was leaving this morning, she hadn't slept well. Now that he was gone she felt the full impact of his absence. She rolled over and stared out the window. What a confusing mess her life had become.

During their 'talk' Zane dropped a bomb on her. Not only were he and Carla running off to Vegas to get married in a few weeks, but they were planning on buying their own house and moving out. Zoey closed her eyes as she imagined being alone in the big old house. What a lonely existence it would be to come home to an empty house. Maybe she could get a pet or two. A couple of cats would liven up the place.

Zoey nearly groaned at that thought. Nothing like setting herself up to be the crazy old cat lady, living alone into her elder years with twenty cats to keep her company. That wasn't what she wanted for herself.

She could always return to the road with Dean and rent the house out while she was gone. Though the idea of strangers living in her home didn't set well either. Maybe she should just sell the place. She'd be out from under the mortgage and with the profits from the house she could pay off her student loans. Then she'd be free to pursue her dreams.

That would mean not returning to wrestling. Her stomach cramped as that thought took root. While she hated being a wrestler, not returning to wrestling meant never seeing Dean again. Tears welled again as she turned onto her side and snuggled against his pillow. The subtle scent of his cologne drifted to her nose.

He'd known, she realized as she closed her eyes. He'd known she hadn't wanted to return to wrestling and instead of trying to convince her otherwise, he'd let her go. So what he said about loving her, had he really meant it? Would he have really let her go without a fight if he really loved her?

_All I want is for you to be happy._ Dean's words resonated she hugged the pillow a little tighter. How was she supposed to be happy when the one person who would make her life complete was gone?


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Dean sat on the bench lacing up his boots. After a week and half of rehabbing he was trying his first match back tonight in a six man tag match with Roman and Seth. This way if his knee still gave him fits, he'd have Seth and Roman to save his ass.

The door opened and Lexi walked in dressed in her black ops gear. "Hey."

"Hey," he replied as he continued with his task.

She slid into the empty space beside him. "You nervous about tonight?"

He paused, turned his head and looked at her. Did she realize who she was talking to? "Nervous? No." He shook his head. "I'm not nervous."

"That's good." She nodded. "I know whenever I'm coming back from an injury that first match back can be a bit unnerving."

"That's the difference between you and me," he replied and returned to lacing his boots.

The door opened a second time, revealing Roman, Seth and Amber. Why was it whenever they were all together he now felt like the third wheel? A pang shot through his chest as thoughts of Zoey suddenly flooded his mind. She hadn't called, hadn't texted. Not a word. While he hadn't actually expected her to return to wrestling he had hoped she would at least try to make some contact with him.

"Did you tell him yet?" Seth asked only to receive an elbow to the ribs from Amber. She shot Seth a stressed look, then exchanged a panicked glance with Lexi.

"Tell me what?" Dean asked looking between the girls.

"Um..." Lexi looked from Dean to Roman as if she were looking for permission to continue. Roman nodded and she turned her attention to Dean. "You know because of my dad, I'm kinda tight with management, right?"

"Right?" He paused and sat up straight. "What's going on, Lexi?"

"Well, I have it on good information that Zoey was at WWE headquarters on Wednesday."

At the sound of her name he straightened his spine and gave Lexi all his attention. "And?"

"Hunter released her from her contract." She placed hand on his knee. "I'm really sorry."

He'd known it was coming, but that didn't make hearing the confirmation any easier to accept. Somewhere in the back of his mind he'd held out a tiny bit of hope that he'd been wrong and she'd come back. With that hope now gone he had to face reality. It was time to stop pining over Zoey and move on. He had a career to build and he couldn't do that if he spent all his time pining over a relationship that would have never worked.

"It's okay," he finally replied as he placed his hand over Lexi's and squeezed. "She wasn't really all that happy here anyway."

"What about you?" Amber asked. "Don't you deserve to be happy too?"

Her question pulled a smile from him. It was times like this, when their tight knit group closed ranks to protect and support one another, that reminded him that no matter what happened he had everything he needed right here. He looked up at Amber. "I am happy. I'm happy knowing that she's free to pursue her dreams and I'm happy that I have such good friends that they'd unnecessarily worry about me."

They all exchanged glances then looked back at Dean. "You sure you're okay?" Roman asked.

Dean nodded. "I'll admit that I'm sad that she's not coming back, but it is what it is." He shrugged. "We just weren't meant to be."

"Well," Seth clapped his hands together. "I guess if you're okay with all this, then we need to put it behind us and start focusing on tonight's match."

Lexi nodded. "Yeah, Amber and I have a tag match against the Bella's tonight too."

A knock on the door caused them all to pause. It opened slowly and Emma's assistant Jill poked her head through the opening. "Hey guys, sorry to interrupt, but Hunter is calling a big meeting in catering in ten minutes. He said he has some announcements to make and he wants everyone there."

"We'll be there," Lexi replied.

"Thanks, Jill," Amber added.

Ten minutes later Dean stood in catering, surrounded by his friends. He wasn't all that interested in what Hunter had to say, but since the meeting was mandatory he'd play along.

"Okay, guys." Hunter clapped his hands together. "I know we have a show to do in just a couple of hours, so I'll make this quick." He slowly surveyed the room. Apparently satisfied that everyone was present, he continued. "So we've made some changed over the past few days that you all need to be aware of. First, we release several people from their contracts, including two upstarts from development who didn't work out and a couple of Divas." His attention settled on Dean. He swallowed hard and gave a small nod, acknowledging Hunter's statement.

Hunter returned with his own slight nod, then shifted his focus to the others. "We've brought up a few more from developmental that we think might be ready. However, the big news I have is the creation of a new position within the company. After much discussion, we'd decided to add the position of a press liaison."

He glanced at Dean and crew, his lips tipped into a slight grin before he continued. "This person would be the go-between with regard to interaction between our stars and the press and the public. She will also be handling all press releases and will have a monthly column in the magazine."

He motioned to the doors. "Ladies and gentlemen I'd like for you all to meet our new press liaison."

Dean's attention drifted to the door and his heart damn near stopped at the sight before him. Dressed in black high heels, a short pencil skirt and white button up blouse, Zoey strode into the room. She smiled as she looked around the room and her grin widened the moment she locked eyes with Dean.

Desire, hot and powerful, rolled through him, immediately followed by a flood of love so strong it damn near took him to his knees.

She stopped next to Hunter and waited. "Everyone, you all know Zoey." He motioned to her. "We've decided that based on Zoey's college degree and impressive resume that her skills would be put to better use in this position." His attention turned to where many of the Diva's stood together whispering. "I also want to make it very clear that she is now working as part of corporate, you will give her the same level of respect that you give me." He narrowed his gaze and pointed a finger directly at the girls. "That means, Nikki, Brie and Aksana. If I find out that you've uttered a single disparaging word you'll be answering to me. Is that clear?"

Despite the frowns they all wore, they nodded.

"Good." He turned away. "Okay, that's it. Now let's get to work, people. We have a show to do."

For a moment Dean's feet refused to move and when he finally took a step toward her Hunter blocked his path. "I know you want to see her, but not now. We have a lot of work to do before the show and you have a match to get ready for."

"Just for a minute?" Dean asked, embarrassed by the pleading tone in his voice.

Hunter shook his head. "There will be time later. Right now I need you both focused on work. After the show tonight you'll have time to catch up."

Dejected, but still filled with hope, Dean sighed. "Fine. Have it your way." He turned his attention on Zoey and grinned, then following his team made his way out the door. She was here and right now that was all that mattered.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Dean sat on the bench lacing up his boots. After a week and half of rehabbing he was trying his first match back tonight in a six man tag match with Roman and Seth. This way if his knee still gave him fits, he'd have Seth and Roman to save his ass.

The door opened and Lexi walked in dressed in her black ops gear. "Hey."

"Hey," he replied as he continued with his task.

She slid into the empty space beside him. "You nervous about tonight?"

He paused, turned his head and looked at her. Did she realize who she was talking to? "Nervous? No." He shook his head. "I'm not nervous."

"That's good." She nodded. "I know whenever I'm coming back from an injury that first match back can be a bit unnerving."

"That's the difference between you and me," he replied and returned to lacing his boots.

The door opened a second time, revealing Roman, Seth and Amber. Why was it whenever they were all together he now felt like the third wheel? A pang shot through his chest as thoughts of Zoey suddenly flooded his mind. She hadn't called, hadn't texted. Not a word. While he hadn't actually expected her to return to wrestling he had hoped she would at least try to make some contact with him.

"Did you tell him yet?" Seth asked only to receive an elbow to the ribs from Amber. She shot Seth a stressed look, then exchanged a panicked glance with Lexi.

"Tell me what?" Dean asked looking between the girls.

"Um..." Lexi looked from Dean to Roman as if she were looking for permission to continue. Roman nodded and she turned her attention to Dean. "You know because of my dad, I'm kinda tight with management, right?"

"Right?" He paused and sat up straight. "What's going on, Lexi?"

"Well, I have it on good information that Zoey was at WWE headquarters on Wednesday."

At the sound of her name he straightened his spine and gave Lexi all his attention. "And?"

"Hunter released her from her contract." She placed hand on his knee. "I'm really sorry."

He'd known it was coming, but that didn't make hearing the confirmation any easier to accept. Somewhere in the back of his mind he'd held out a tiny bit of hope that he'd been wrong and she'd come back. With that hope now gone he had to face reality. It was time to stop pining over Zoey and move on. He had a career to build and he couldn't do that if he spent all his time pining over a relationship that would have never worked.

"It's okay," he finally replied as he placed his hand over Lexi's and squeezed. "She wasn't really all that happy here anyway."

"What about you?" Amber asked. "Don't you deserve to be happy too?"

Her question pulled a smile from him. It was times like this, when their tight knit group closed ranks to protect and support one another, that reminded him that no matter what happened he had everything he needed right here. He looked up at Amber. "I am happy. I'm happy knowing that she's free to pursue her dreams and I'm happy that I have such good friends that they'd unnecessarily worry about me."

They all exchanged glances then looked back at Dean. "You sure you're okay?" Roman asked.

Dean nodded. "I'll admit that I'm sad that she's not coming back, but it is what it is." He shrugged. "We just weren't meant to be."

"Well," Seth clapped his hands together. "I guess if you're okay with all this, then we need to put it behind us and start focusing on tonight's match."

Lexi nodded. "Yeah, Amber and I have a tag match against the Bella's tonight too."

A knock on the door caused them all to pause. It opened slowly and Emma's assistant Jill poked her head through the opening. "Hey guys, sorry to interrupt, but Hunter is calling a big meeting in catering in ten minutes. He said he has some announcements to make and he wants everyone there."

"We'll be there," Lexi replied.

"Thanks, Jill," Amber added.

Ten minutes later Dean stood in catering, surrounded by his friends. He wasn't all that interested in what Hunter had to say, but since the meeting was mandatory he'd play along.

"Okay, guys." Hunter clapped his hands together. "I know we have a show to do in just a couple of hours, so I'll make this quick." He slowly surveyed the room. Apparently satisfied that everyone was present, he continued. "So we've made some changed over the past few days that you all need to be aware of. First, we release several people from their contracts, including two upstarts from development who didn't work out and a couple of Divas." His attention settled on Dean. He swallowed hard and gave a small nod, acknowledging Hunter's statement.

Hunter returned with his own slight nod, then shifted his focus to the others. "We've brought up a few more from developmental that we think might be ready. However, the big news I have is the creation of a new position within the company. After much discussion, we'd decided to add the position of a press liaison."

He glanced at Dean and crew, his lips tipped into a slight grin before he continued. "This person would be the go-between with regard to interaction between our stars and the press and the public. She will also be handling all press releases and will have a monthly column in the magazine."

He motioned to the doors. "Ladies and gentlemen I'd like for you all to meet our new press liaison."

Dean's attention drifted to the door and his heart damn near stopped at the sight before him. Dressed in black high heels, a short pencil skirt and white button up blouse, Zoey strode into the room. She smiled as she looked around the room and her grin widened the moment she locked eyes with Dean.

Desire, hot and powerful, rolled through him, immediately followed by a flood of love so strong it damn near took him to his knees.

She stopped next to Hunter and waited. "Everyone, you all know Zoey." He motioned to her. "We've decided that based on Zoey's college degree and impressive resume that her skills would be put to better use in this position." His attention turned to where many of the Diva's stood together whispering. "I also want to make it very clear that she is now working as part of corporate, you will give her the same level of respect that you give me." He narrowed his gaze and pointed a finger directly at the girls. "That means, Nikki, Brie and Aksana. If I find out that you've uttered a single disparaging word you'll be answering to me. Is that clear?"

Despite the frowns they all wore, they nodded.

"Good." He turned away. "Okay, that's it. Now let's get to work, people. We have a show to do."

For a moment Dean's feet refused to move and when he finally took a step toward her Hunter blocked his path. "I know you want to see her, but not now. We have a lot of work to do before the show and you have a match to get ready for."

"Just for a minute?" Dean asked, embarrassed by the pleading tone in his voice.

Hunter shook his head. "There will be time later. Right now I need you both focused on work. After the show tonight you'll have time to catch up."

Dejected, but still filled with hope, Dean sighed. "Fine. Have it your way." He turned his attention on Zoey and grinned, then following his team made his way out the door. She was here and right now that was all that mattered.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Restless, Dean paced the small space inside his hotel room. After the show he'd been unable to find her, eventually he resorted to calling her cell. She hadn't answered, but she had texted him back a cryptic message. All will be right shortly. Be patient.

He'd never been one to have much patience and right now all he wanted to do was slam his fist through a wall. A soft knock on his door cause him to jump in surprise. His heart sped up as he trekked across the room and yanked open the door.

Like a Goddess she stood in front of him, in that same sexy little outfit he'd seen her in earlier, with her hair just right and a look of desire embedded in her features. Beautiful!

She shifted from one foot to the other and gnawed on her bottom lip. "It seems Hunter forgot to book me a room."

His lips turned up into a grin as he backed away and held the door so she could enter. There was a sway in her hips he hadn't noticed before and damn if it wasn't one of the sexiest things he'd seen in a while. Once inside she brought her wheeled suitcase to a stop then turned to look back at him. "I hope you don't mind me intruding on you at this late hour." The gleam in her revealed her playful nature.

Dean released his grip on the door and stalked toward her. His hands slid along her waist as he slowly backed her against the wall. In her heels she was damn near as tall as him. "I would have minded if you hadn't," he replied as his mouth slammed down on hers. A sexy little whimper escaped her as she wrapped her arms around his neck, surrendering.

God he'd missed this, missed her more than he even realized until that moment. She tasted like lemons and mint and he wanted more. Her soft lips worked against his, demanding as much as she gave. When he eventually pulled back, giving them both a much needed breath, he studied her. Gone was the timid, shy woman who hated to wrestle. Instead he saw a strong, confident woman in front of him. He grinned. "This outfit is sexy as hell."

She arched a brow. "Really?"

"Oh yeah," his fingers trailed along the waistband of her skirt. "It will be even sexier laying on the floor."

His words pulled a shudder from her and she bit back a breathy moan as desire to have him now and forever slammed into her. Oh God, she wanted him so much it scared the hell out of her. She'd missed him so damn much when he was gone. To be back in his arms, feeling the warmth of his love filled her with strength and passion. "I missed you so much," she whispered.

His eyes softened and his grin widened. "I love you, Zoey."

Joy filled her heart even as her skirt slacked and hit the floor. His eyes widened as did his grin as he took a full step back and assess her. "A garter and stockings? Well aren't you just full of sexy little surprises."

She shrugged. "What can I say I don't like pantyhose."

He stepped forward, closing the distance. "You're so beautiful, Zoey. I'm one lucky bastard."

Their mouths met for a second soul-searching kiss. As his lips teased hers open and their joined and tangled, both taking and giving in tandem. His hands slid along her side, then along her front and he began making quick work of her blouse. Emotions and sensations ripped through her, wiping her mind clean until nothing but raw need remained.

"God, I want you so much," he whispered against her lips. His words danced along her skin, creating a tingling sensation she felt all the way to her toes. "I want you too," she managed to reply.

Her admission pulled yet another smile from him. Giving him all the control, she waited while he finished divesting her. Anticipation grew as her bra slacked beneath his deft touch. Slowly he worked his way down her body planting kisses along her skin.

He seemed to take his time now as he gently unsnapped then worked first one stocking then the other down her legs. She stepped out of her heels, then out of her panties until she finally stood before him completely naked. He sat back on his knees and flicked his gaze upward, his eyes touching her in ways his hands hadn't. "Like I said...beautiful."

His hand splayed across her thighs, the heat from his palms scalding against her skin. "Spread your legs, baby." His words caused desire to rip through her, making her achy to feel his touch . She widened her stance, granting his request then watched as he leaned forward and buried his face between her thighs. Warm, wet heat engulfed her body and she shuddered at the delicious feel. Her fingers tangled through his hair as she scrambled for purchase. His intimate, erotic strokes sent her spiraling out of control. Her body tightened and she sobbed as pleasure throbbed through her. "Dean!"

"That's it baby," he nearly growled against her flesh, adding to the sensations. "Come for me." With that command he slid a finger inside her and her body splintered. A cry tumbled from her lips as she bucked against him. Even as she came down from a much needed and thoroughly explosive orgasm, he continued to work her body, demanding more. He spent a long time between her legs, licking and sucking and kissing her with his tongue and fingers. She watched, riveted by the erotic sight of him working to give her pleasure. Slowly her orgasm began to build again and her knees went weak. Her muscles contracted and her breathing grew shallow.

"That's my girl," Dean rumbled. "Give it to me again." As if on command, she erupted like an active volcano.

Finally, he pulled back, then got to his feet. "I need to be inside you, baby. Now!"

She nodded and on weak legs she stumbled to the bed. On all fours she climbed onto the mattress, then collapsed and rolled over onto her back. She watched through hooded eyes as he quickly stripped, then stalked toward her like a predator on the hunt and she was the prey.

He climbed up the end of the bed, between her legs, lined himself up and thrust home. Instant pleasure speared through her and she arched her back, seeking more. "Dean!" She cried as her fingers curled into the comforter.

From above her, he grinned. "I love it when you say my name like that. Let's see if I can make you say it again." He draped her legs over his shoulders and began to thrust in earnest. She rolled her head back and forth on the pillow as her body struggled to process the sensations. The sound of flesh slapping flesh and the soft squeak of the bed filled the room. She panted and groaned and her eyes drifted closed as she relinquished the last of her control.

"Open your eyes, baby."

His command had her flicking her gaze upward and she stared at him, half blind with pleasure. That crazy crooked grin of his appeared even as his movements sped up. "That's it, baby. Eyes on me. I want to see the pleasure in your face when I make you come again."

And he did. Within minutes her body broke apart and his name tumbled from her lips on a cry she was sure could be heard all the way to the lobby. Her body throbbed with pleasure and before she could come down he groaned long and low as he came, filling her, Huntering her.

Later as she lay draped across him, her body tired yet satisfied, she trailed her fingers over his chest. "Why didn't you tell me about the mortgage?" she ventured.

He grabbed her hand in his and gently kissed her knuckles. "It would have defeated the entire purpose of giving you the opportunity to make an unbiased choice based on what you wanted and not what you thought was right."

"Still, that was a lot of money."

He shrugged. "Worth every time if it meant ensuring your happiness."

She turned her head to look up at him. "Sometimes what you want isn't necessarily what makes you happiest."

He stared down at her. "What does make you happy, Zoey?"

"You." She snuggled in a little closer. "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to find that out."

He hooked his hands under her arms and pulled her up to him. "I'd give you the moon and the stars if I thought it would make you happy."

She grinned. "All I need is your love."

He lowered his head to her, his lips hovered over hers and he grinned. "You already have it."


End file.
